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Rookie F Horford helps Hawks overcome Bobcats

Oct 18, 2007 - 5:35 PM By Derek S. Smith PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina (Ticker) -- Rookie Al Horford scored 22 points and Josh Childress added 19 points to lead the Atlanta Hawks to a 104-98 preseason victory over the Charlotte Bobcats on Thursday.

Atlanta took the lead for good, 78-76, at 10:12 in the fourth quarter on a jumper from Marvin Williams. The Bobcats got no closer than three points at 89-86 on a 3-pointer from Jason Richardson with 3:47 to play.

That was due to Horford, who took control in the low post and on the glass to seal the Atlanta victory, netting 10 points and grabbing six rebounds in the fourth. The Florida star pulled down a game-high 12 rebounds in the winning effort.

The Hawks, who improved to 5-1 in the preseason, saw their nine-point halftime lead disappear during a third-quarter rally by the Bobcats. Gerald Wallace scored 11 of his game-high 34 points in the third.

Atlanta used a 19-5 run midway through the first half to build its biggest lead of the game at 36-22. Childress netted six of his 11 first-half points during the run. Charlotte committed 14 turnovers in the opening half, enabling Atlanta to convert them into 17 points.

The Bobcats also got 17 points from Richardson and 13 from Raymond Felton. Charlotte, which fell to 2-3, was outrebounded, 45-29, for the game and gave up 21 second-chance points.

Josh Smith finished with 17 points for the Hawks while Williams added 12. Atlanta center Zaza Pachulia suffered a left knee sprain in the third quarter and did not return.

Charlotte's first-round selection, forward Jared Dudley, missed his fifth exhibition game with a left toe sprain. For the Hawks, guard Joe Johnson and forward Shelden Williams were not in uniform.