ATLANTA, Dec. 17 (UPI) -- Joe Johnson scored 16 points in his first December appearance Friday, helping the Atlanta Hawks fight off Charlotte 90-85.
The Hawks led the entire game but never by more than 10 points. They had at least a five-point advantage over the final 3 minutes while snapping a two-game skid.
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Johnson missed three weeks of action due to surgery on his right elbow. The team originally said he would be out for at least a month.
Al Horford and Marvin Williams had 16 points each for the Hawks and Josh Smith scored 12 points to go with 11 rebounds.
Boris Diaw and D.J. Augustin both scored 22 for Charlotte, which has lost four times in five games. Dominic McGuire grabbed 17 rebounds, a career best.
