Charlotte Bobcats thump Atlanta Hawks 109-100

The Charlotte Bobcats dominated the Atlanta Hawks from the opening tip. Even though the Hawks had stretches of excellence, the game was never seriously in doubt after the first five minutes, as the Cats won going away, 109-100. Throughout, Atlanta looked out of sorts and out of rhythm, probably because neither Joe Johnson nor Mike Bibby played at all.

Gerald Wallace led the barrage with 22 points in the first half, but Boris Diaw played the most complete game for Charlotte, nearly putting up the franchise's first-ever triple-double. It was the Bobcats' 30th home win of the season and 41st overall, guaranteeing at least a .500 finish.

Game thread comments, lowlights, and highlights after the jump.

GAME THREAD COMMENTS

Ft.Mill Bobcat -- Larry Hughes is close to a triple single tonight. 2 points and 1 assist. All that he needs is a rebound.

StudMuffin15 -- Since Tyson shaved, can we expect Baron Davis to do the same?

BAD

-- Tell me, again, what Larry Hughes has done the past two-plus seasons to deserve 17 minutes on a playoff team?

-- There's nothing I hate more at sporting events than The Wave. For a few minutes in the fourth quarter, fans in the Cable Box screamed and did that most vile of crowd activities. Maybe it's because I grew up a San Francisco Giants fan, and Giants fans actively heckle anyone who tries to start The Wave in their ballpark, but to me, it's an indication  that the people doing it don't actually care about the game at hand and would rather entertain themselves.

GOOD

-- The Cats played some exceptional offense, shooting 51% from the field, 58% from three, and 88% from the free throw line.

-- Boris Diaw was at the center of everything, it seemed like. He ended the game with 17 points, 9 rebounds, and 9 assists.

-- Gerald Wallace was dominant in the first half, and merely excellent the rest of the game, scoring 28 points on 18 attempts.

-- Tyson Chandler had a monster game, scoring 12  points on 4 attempts, with 8 rebounds, all in only 31 minutes.

-- Don't forget D.J. Augustin, who chipped in 11 points on 4-4 shooting from the field and 3-3 from the line.