, which moved back within a game of eighth place in the tight Eastern Conference. Kent Bazemore scored 20 points and Dennis Schroder had 17 points and 11 assists for the Hawks, who sat all five starters one night after clinching the top seed in the East playoffs. DeMarre Carroll, Kyle Korver, Al Horford and Paul Millsap were given a night to rest, while Jeff Teague sat out with a sprained ankle for Atlanta (55-18). Bazemore, Mike Muscala, John Jenkins and Elton Brand started alongside Schroder. The Hornets built a 57-52 halftime lead behind 10 points off the bench from rookie P. J. Hairston, who was 4 of 4 from the field before the break, including a pair of 3-pointers. Charlotte pushed the lead to 14 behind nine points from Walker in the third quarter, including scores on three straight possessions, and kept Atlanta from making a meaningful run in the fourth to win for only the third time in the last 11 games. Al Jefferson, who scored 31 points and had 10 rebounds in a potential costly loss Friday night at Washington, seemed worn out. He scored two points on 1-of-5 shooting, played only 18 minutes and didn't see much action in the fourth quarter. The Hornets played without forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, who is expected to miss seven to 10 days with a sprained left ankle, according to coach Steve Clifford. The Hawks lost despite shooting 15 of 30 from 3-point range. Muscala had 18 points and 10 rebounds for the Hawks, who have lost three of their last four against their Interstate-85 foes.---TIP-INSHawks: Korver will have to wait another night to pass Mookie Blaylock for third on the Hawks' list for 3-pointers made in a season. He has made 199. Hornets: The Hornets led at the end of the first quarter for only the second time in the last 12 games. UP NEXTHawks: Host Milwaukee on Monday night. Hornets: Host Boston on Monday night.
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Time: 07:00 P.M. EST Venue: Time Warner Cable Arena
The regular season has become essentially meaningless for the Atlanta Hawks. That's far from true for the Charlotte Hornets. Needing a strong late-season push to stay in playoff contention, the Hornets look to snap a three-game skid Saturday night when they host the Hawks, who have wrapped up the Eastern Conference's top seed. Since dropping three straight to Golden State, Oklahoma City and San Antonio while allowing 117.0 points per game, Atlanta (55-17) has been much better defensively against some lesser competition. The Hawks allowed their fewest points in 29 games in Wednesday's 95-83 win over Orlando, then held Miami to 39.0 percent shooting Friday in a 99-86 victory that clinched the top spot in the East. The question now facing coach Mike Budenholzer is how heavily to lean on his starters for the season's final 10 games. Barring a collapse by Golden State, which has a four-game lead on Atlanta, the Hawks will finish with the league's second-best record." (We'll) make sure we're in the best place we can be going into the playoffs. ... It's a great debate,'' Budenholzer said. ''I think it's a credit to our players and all the good work they've done all year. We're obviously proud of what they've done." I'm very happy for them, happy for us, happy for our organization and our fans.'' One player who figures to see rest is Kyle Korver, who has played the last three games with a broken nose. Korver's renaissance season has seen him average 12.3 points - his highest since 2006-07 - while shooting a league-best 49.8 percent from 3-point range, but he sat out three games after the injury happened and is just 5 of 14 from 3 in his last two.'' My nose is still broken,'' said Korver. ''I won't have to worry about it for the playoffs, which is what really matters, right?''The Hornets (30-41) are one of four teams fighting for the chance to face Atlanta in the first round, but their 110-107 double-overtime loss to Washington on Friday dropped them to 11th in the East, 1 1/2 games behind current eighth seed Boston. Brooklyn and Indiana are 9th and 10th. Charlotte shot just 34.6 percent, but that wasn't enough to shake Al Jefferson's confidence.'' I think this loss is going to haunt us all summer long, even when we do make the playoffs.'' said Jefferson, who had 31 points and 10 rebounds. ''This loss could probably be the difference between the eighth seed and the seventh seed.'' Charlotte is 2-8 since vaulting into the playoff race with a five-game winning streak from March 1-8. A lack of offense has stood out as the main culprit, as the Hornets have averaged just 91.5 points in their last 10 and shot below 40 percent in seven of those. Kemba Walker was held to nine points Friday and has averaged 13.2 since returning to the lineup March 11. He had averaged 18.8 points in 42 games prior to his injury. Walker and Mo Williams shot a combined 11 for 43 from the field against the Wizards. Williams finished with 26 points and 10 assists despite a lingering knee injury that had him questionable to play Friday. The Hornets beat the Hawks 122-119 in double-overtime at home on Nov. 7 behind a season-high 34 points from Jefferson. Atlanta held Jefferson to 11 and Charlotte to 33.0 percent shooting three weeks later in a 105-75 rout at Philips Arena.
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