Hawks 102 - 97 Hornets
Final
  for this game

Bobcats hope to find defense against Hawks

Feb 6, 2009 - 11:21 AM Atlanta (28-20) at Charlotte (19-29) 7:00 p.m. EST

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina (Ticker) -- The Charlotte Bobcats should be happy to be off the road.

The Bobcats will be looking to snap a three-game slide when they face the Atlanta Hawks on Friday.

Charlotte was rounding into contending form with wins in five out of six games before crashing with four losses during a five-game road trip. Most disappointing in the last two setbacks was the average of 107.5 points the Bobcats allowed.

All three of the losses have come without the services of leading scorer Gerald Wallace, who was injured pushing the team past the Los Angeles Lakers in double-overtime on January 27.

Wallace was knocked to the floor by Lakers center Andrew Bynum and suffered a collapsed lung and broken rib in the collision. He will not be available until sometime after the All-Star break and is in the process of making the return trip to Charlotte on a charter bus because he can't fly.

Charlotte suffers quite a bit on defense with Adam Morrison playing in Wallace's spot.

The Hawks are coming off a 94-86 win in Minnesota despite Joe Johnson missing the contest with the flu. Mike Bibby picked the team up with 24 points, including six in the final minute, and Marvin Williams added 23 and 10 rebounds.

Atlanta has won both meetings between the teams this season, with Johnson averaging 29 points.






Related News