CHARLOTTE — If the Hawks didn’t feel like going all out Saturday night, they could find plenty of reasons to take it easy.
Their opponents, the Bobcats, have the worst record in the NBA, were missing key players with injuries and had taken a beating from the Hawks three nights before. The Hawks, playing on consecutive nights, could look forward to leaving Charlotte and enjoying three days without a game.
“It’s a big test for us given what the situation is,” Hawks coach Larry Drew said before the game.
Atlanta’s starters couldn’t ace it at first, so the reserves had to give them a hand. The sluggish Hawks surged in the second quarter behind their bench players and went on to hammer Charlotte 116-96.
The Bobcats (7-47, .130) were competitive for a quarter before succumbing to superior talent. With 12 games left in the lockout-shortened season, they are trying to avoid eclipsing the 1972-73 Philadelphia 76ers for the worst winning percentage in NBA history (.110)
The Hawks (34-23) insisted Charlotte’s ineptitude was no reason for them to relax.
“We know they are going to come out and play hard,” Hawks reserve Jannero Pargo said before the game. “They are playing for pride.”
The Hawks are playing for playoff positioning and need to hold serve against the also-ran opponents in the East. They did so by winning three consecutive games against Charlotte, Detroit and Charlotte and now face games at Boston and Orlando this week.
The Hawks’ victory pulled them within a half-game of the Pacers (34-22) for third place in the Eastern Conference. Indiana lost to Boston on Saturday night.
The Hawks have the easiest road of the teams vying for the third through sixth seeds in the East. They played as if took it for granted early against the Bobcats, who led 23-19 after the first quarter.
It was up to Hawks bench players to put down the Bobcats. Pargo, Marvin Williams, Ivan Johnson, and Willie Green led the charge.
Four bench players scored in double figures, led by Johnson’s 17 points. Pargo scored 15 points, Williams 14 and Green 11.
Williams opened the second quarter with a 3-pointer that started a 22-8 run. Pargo and Green also made 3-pointers during the burst, which staked the Hawks to a 41-31 lead.
After Charlotte trimmed its deficit to 41-34, Johnson scored on a drive, Pargo made another 3-pointer, and Johnson made two free throws. The Hawks led 48-36 at halftime thanks largely to a combined 29 points, 48 percent shooting, 11 rebounds and seven assists from the reserves.
The four bench players were going do well that Drew played them the entire fourth quarter. It was a turnaround from the 101-96 victory against Detroit the previous night.
Drew leaned heavily on his starters after the reserves offered little in the first half, and the Hawks had to hold off the Pistons until the end. This time the starters fed off the reserves and played with more zip after halftime.
Josh Smith scored eight points during a 20-10 run to start the third quarter and the Hawks were on their way to another big victory. They would lead by as many 23 points and were up 86-68 after three quarters.
The Hawks bench players came on to finish up the victory. The Bobcats briefly cut the lead to 12 before Atlanta calmly put them away.
Joe Johnson led the Hawks with 18 points, Smith had 15 and Zaza Pachulia totaled 12 points and 16 rebounds.
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