Hawks go for fourth straight win versus Bobcats

Atlanta hasn’t won four in a row since the first week of this season and recorded a 105-88 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday at the Target Center.

Joe Johnson poured in 29 points and added eight assists to lead the Hawks, who are just ahead of last-place Charlotte in the Southeast Division. Josh Smith scored 21 points for the Hawks, who hadn’t won in Minnesota since April of 1997, a mark that spanned eight games. Zaza Pachulia added 12 points, while Josh Childress netted 11 in the blowout of the T’wolves.

The Hawks have won two in a row at home and are 7-10 at Philips Arena this season. They will square off with the Bobcats again on Saturday night at Charlotte Bobcats Arena.

Charlotte, meanwhile, has lost two straight and four of its last seven games, including Wednesday’s 92-85 home loss to the New Jersey Nets.

Raymond Felton scored 18 points for the Bobcats, who lost consecutive games after a season-high three-game winning streak. Emeka Okafor scored 14 points and pulled down 21 rebounds and Matt Carroll added 13 points for Charlotte, which will try to improve on its 5-12 road record this season.

Atlanta defeated Charlotte, 99-90, on November 29 this season, but the Bobcats have won two of three and six of the nine all-time meetings.

Charlotte has won three of five at Atlanta.