> WORKING ON TWO: Looking ahead to tonight's two-step date with Miami wasn't an issue for the Hawks before Friday's game against Charlotte.

At least that's what they said before the game. "One game at a time," Josh Childress said. "One game at a time."

That doesn't mean the Hawks didn't prepare for the bizarre circumstance of having to replay the final 51.9 seconds of overtime from their Dec. 19 game against the Heat and the regularly scheduled game they'll play 15 minutes after the completion of that replay game.

Hawks coach Mike Woodson even spent time in Thursday's practice going over how he wants his team to attack in that final 51.9 seconds, when action will resume with the Hawks defending and leading 114-111.

"We've got to have a defensive team on the floor, and that's what we plan on doing," Woodson said. "We've got to try and get a stop, play the 3-point line and switch and make sure that we're not in a position to give them a 3-pointer."

> HEAVY LIFTING: Woodson made it clear to captain and All-Star Joe John- son that he's placing a responsibility on his shoulders for the rest of the season. He said he wants Johnson to take on the challenge of not only being the Hawks' No. 1 scoring option every night but also guarding the opposition's No. 1 scoring option. That meant locking horns with Jason Richardson for much of the night Friday and will include dealing with Heat All-Star Dwyane Wade tonight.

> NO LEAD IS SAFE: The Hawks were up to their usual tricks Friday, taking a double-digit lead early only to see it disappear before halftime. The Hawks trailed at halftime 50-47 thanks to a late second-quarter outburst from Bobcats point guard Raymond Felton. He scored 16 points and dished five assists in the first half, stoking the Bobcats' fire by himself.