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Hurting Hawks hope Williams can step up vs. Bobcats

Nov 21, 2008 - 11:25 AM Charlotte (3-7) at Atlanta (7-4) 7:30 p.m. EST

ATLANTA (Ticker) -- The shorthanded Atlanta Hawks hope Marvin Williams is ready to emerge and play like a first-round pick.

Williams will look to follow up one of his best all-around games as a pro on Friday when the Hawks host the Charlotte Bobcats.

The second overall pick of the 2005 draft, Williams has been somewhat of a disappointment, but is beginning to show promise.

The 22-year-old scored 21 points, grabbed a career-high tying 14 rebounds, and hit a go-ahead 3-pointer in the final minute to help the Hawks snap a four-game skid with a 91-87 win over Washington on Wednesday.

Atlanta will need him to continue to produce with Smith and Al Horford out. Smith has been out since November 7 with a high-ankle sprain, and Horford is sidelined with the same injury.

Williams and the Hawks face a Charlotte team that is averaging a league-worst 88.3 points. The Bobcats have sorely missed guard Jason Richardson, who has missed the last three games with a knee injury. Richardson averaged a team-best 21.8 points last season.

The Bobcats' starters managed a mere 26 points in a 100-83 loss to Dallas on Tuesday.