HAWKS 116, BOBCATS 96: Joe Johnson scored 18 points and Ivan Johnson added 17 as visiting Atlanta completed a four-game sweep of Charlotte.

Josh Smith and Jannero Pargo added 15 points apiece and Zaza Pachulia contributed 12 points and 16 rebounds as the Hawks won their third straight contest.

Cory Higgins scored a career-best 22 points and Byron Mullens added 17 for the Bobcats, who have lost 11 consecutive games.

The victory allowed Atlanta to maintain its fifth-place positioning in the Eastern Conference playoff race.

The Hawks took the lead for good with a 15-2 second-quarter spurt that turned a three-point deficit into a 41-31 lead. Atlanta led by 12 points at halftime and started the third quarter with a 12-2 run to build its lead to 60-38 on Smith’s basket with 10 minutes remaining in the stanza.

Marvin Williams tallied 14 points and Jeff Teague and Willie Green each scored 11 for the Hawks, who hit 21 of 23 free throws.

Kemba Walker added 10 points for Charlotte.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Atlanta won all four meetings by double digits and its average victory margin was 20.8. … Charlotte point guard D.J. Augustin (knee) missed his second straight game. … Pachulia’s season high for rebounds is 20 against Utah on March 25. … The Bobcats have reached 100 points just once during the 11-game losing skid.