Read More: Tyrus Thomas (F – CHA), Boris Diaw (F – CHA), Gerald Henderson (G – CHA), Byron Mullens (C – CHA), Charlotte Bobcats, Atlanta Hawks

The Atlanta Hawks got a much needed win by blowing out the Charlotte Bobcats 111-81 to open a four game homestand. Atlanta got some unfortunate news before the game when they learned that they would be without center Al Horford for likely the remainder of the season after he was diagnosed with a torn pectoral muscle.

Even without Horford, Atlanta came out with a spirited effort against the Bobcats. The Hawks took a 57-47 lead into halftime and blew the game wide open in the second half behind the play of Josh Smith. Smith finished with a game-high 30 points and 13 rebounds. Smith hit 14-22 shots and also handed out four assists in the game.

Joe Johnson scored 13 of his 23 points in the first quarter while matched against Charlotte’s Tyrus Thomas. Johnson also added seven rebounds and dished out a team-high eight assists. Jeff Teague added 16 points and seven assists and Ivan Johnson came off the bench to add 12 points and seven boards.

Byron Mullens made his first career start for the Bobcats and finished with a career-high 21 points. Gerald Henderson chipped in 16 and Tyrus Thomas nine for Charlotte. Boris Diaw was held scoreless in the game going 0-3 from the field in 20 minutes of action.

For more on this game, Hawks fans should check out Peachtree Hoops and Bobcats fans should stop by Rufus On Fire. For more NBA news and analysis head on over to SB Nation’s NBA hub.

Read More: Joe Johnson (G – ATL), Josh Smith (F – ATL), Tyrus Thomas (F – CHA), Al Horford (C – ATL), Gerald Henderson (G – CHA), Byron Mullens (C – CHA), Charlotte Bobcats, Atlanta Hawks

The Atlanta Hawks got big first halves from Josh Smith and Joe Johnson to race out to a 57-47 lead over the Charlotte Bobcats at halftime. The Hawks are playing their first game since it was announced that Al Horford would miss 3-4 months with a torn pectoral muscle.

The Bobcats hung tough for much of the first half before a late Hawks surge extended the lead to 10 points. Josh Smith leads the way with 16 points, eight rebounds and three assists. Joe Johnson scored 13 of his 15 points in the first quarter. Johnson also has two rebounds and four assists and exploited Paul Silas’ decision to have Tyrus Thomas matched up with him.

Byron Mullens got his first start for the Bobcats in the game and leads Charlotte with 12 points. Tyrus Thomas has nine points and Gerald Henderson eight for the Bobcats.

Charlotte actually out shot Atlanta in the first half 51 percent to 47 percent. Atlanta took advantage of a 26-16 rebounding advantage in the first half including a 11-2 advantage on the offensive glass.

For more on this game, Hawks fans should check out Peachtree Hoops and Bobcats fans should stop by Rufus On Fire. For more NBA news and analysis head on over to SB Nation’s NBA hub.

This is the latest installment of PBT’s series of “What your team should do when the lockout ends.” Up next is the Charlotte Bobcats. You can also check out our thoughts on other NBA teams here as we work our way through all 30 squads.

Last season: Hope that four-game sweep in the playoffs was fun/worth it, Charlotte! The Bobcats plummeted back to Earth last season. No. Plummeted isn’t fair to objects that plummet. The Bobcats rocketed back to Earth. No. That’s insulting to rocket ships. The Bobcats were instantly teleported back to Earth last season after their first playoff run in 2010. There we go. The whole season fell apart nearly instantly.

Larry Brown was fired, Paul Silas was brought on. D.J. Augustin flourished, but the team could not, would not get out of its funk. Despite progress from Gerald Henderson and a surprisingly competent season from Kwame Brown, the Cats were dreadful. But the awfulness lead to some good things, actually. The Bobcats finally, mercifully agreed to blowing the team up and building towards the future. Gerald Wallace, the team’s biggest star, their All-Star, was sent to Portland for Dante Cunningham and draft picks. They still managed to win 34 games. For perspective, that’s only three games fewer than the 8th seed Indiana Pacers. While, yes, this does tell you how crappy the East continues to be, it still shows the the Bobcats weren’t wretched. Just awful. Bright side!

Since we last saw the Bobcats: Everything is different. Rich Cho was brought on in June, and subsequently oversaw a draft day deal that sent Stephen Jackson, the other pillar of the playoff appearance to Milwaukee and picked up Corey Maggette, but more importantly added the seventh pick in the draft, giving them two in the top ten. The result?

The Bobcats have a… young core? Where did this come from?

D.J. Augustin, Gerald Henderson, Bismack Biyombo, Kemba Walker, Tyrus Thomas, Dante Cunningham. That’s a six-man rotation of 25-years of age younger, with Thomas the oldest (depending on your Biyombo impression). All of a sudden the Bobcats are looking like one of the most hopeful teams in the league after being the most hopeless for the past few years. Just shows what committed management and ownership can do. The Bobcats begin having a shot at Portland’s first-rounder in 2013 and while their 2012 pick could be held by the Bulls from the Tyrus Thomas trade, it’s lottery protected in 2012, then protected in various forms all the way to 2016.

The Bobcats are headed in a new direction, and while it could be rough for fans, they’ll have Kemba Walker as a bonafide star to bet excited about.

When the lockout ends, the Bobcats need to: continue the process. They’ve started a true rebuilding process. They’ve begun to move away from veteran contracts and towards younger players. They’re building a core of rookies through the draft. They’ve still got some flotsam in the pool, however.

Desagana Diop is reason No.1 why the Cats need the amnesty clause. From there, Maggette should be on the block for cheap for any team looking to add a wing. If Maggette can bounce back from a downright bad 2011, he might pull in interest. He is an efficient scorer (18.3 career PER), and shot 36 percent from 3-point range last season in a down year. Tyrus Thomas needs to have a heck of a year to justify keeping him and his salary around, especially with a deep draft of power forwards hanging round.

But the young guys bring a lot of promise. D.J. Augustin’s improvement means Kemba Walker can develop at his own pace, likewise with Thomas and Biyombo. They’ll need to work out the point guard confusion eventually, but that’s the luxury of rebuilding. They’ve got time, as long as they’re patient.

So yeah, 2012 will probably be a struggle for Charlotte. But if they take on the right identity, they could be the young team that loses but is fun to watch every game. And that’ll be a real first in franchise history.

Charlotte Bobcats 6-10 forward Tyrus Thomas is known for his sensational dunks and acrobatic plays and is a key part of the team’s future. He just completed his fifth season in the NBA, averaging 10.2 points and 5.5 rebounds. Thomas lives year-round in Charlotte, and he will answer questions from readers. Here’s his first correspondence:

Q. What have you been doing since the season ended?

I’ve been continuing a little rehab on my knee and now I’m back working out. I’ve been really working on my mental approach to the game. I’ve done that by watching film, studying myself, and being more analytical, rather than spontaneous, in my everyday life. I must say though, the highlight of my summer has been my wedding!

Q. What part of your game do you want to improve and how are you working to get better?

I’m always working to improve every part of my game. Right now my biggest focus is a go-to move with my back to the basket.

Q. Do you think the NBA season will start on time?

Hopefully the NBA season starts on time. I honestly don’t know what to think. I just have to hope for the best and expect the worst.

Q. Do you live in Charlotte, and what are your impressions of the city?

My wife and I have decided to make the Queen City home. We absolutely love it here. The people have been so friendly and genuine. How could we want to leave?

Q. What books have you read this year?

Though I’m not a big book reader, I’ve read most of “Decoded” by Jay-Z. I’ve also read “The Art of War” by Sun Tzu.

Q. What Bobcat players have you become close to?

Gerald Henderson has become part of my family, literally. His name is mentioned in my house every day. His dog and my dogs are playground buddies. We’ve been working out and rehabbing together, preparing ourselves to help our team succeed.

Q. Tell us about your wife, how you met and how she’s influenced you…?

My friends all say my wife is my “tamer.” She’s perfect for me because she’s the only one that can calm me down when I’m fired up. She is!

We met in the sixth grade but didn’t date until senior year of high school. Through college and my years in the NBA we had more than many rough patches, breakups, and hiatuses.

Through it all our love stayed strong and persevered. She’s pushes me every day to be a better Tyrus Thomas.

Q. You are known for your ability to hang in the air and pull off spectacular, highlight plays. What allows you do that?

I have to give credit for all my jumping ability to God.

With the NBA looking at a potential lockout that would wipe out July’s summer leagues, the Charlotte Bobcats thought they found a way to still get a look at young players and free agents.

The league had other ideas.

Coach Paul Silas said Tuesday night the NBA turned down Charlotte’s plans to host a multi-team, free-agent camp after this month’s draft and before the collective bargaining agreement expires July 1.

The Miami Heat, Memphis Grizzlies and Atlanta Hawks were scheduled to bring free agents and possibly draft picks to Time Warner Cable Arena. The teams had even reserved hotel rooms for the series of workouts and scrimmages on two courts at the facility before plans changed.

“The league wouldn’t let us do it,” Silas said.

NBA spokesman Tim Frank said it would have been too similar to July’s summer leagues, which are normally held next month in Las Vegas and Orlando. The Bobcats fielded a team in Orlando last year.

“With what the teams wanted to do, it was really acting as a summer league,” Frank said. “No summer leagues are permitted to be run until after July 1.”

But the Bobcats still plan to get in as much work as possible before the league could shut down amid a labour dispute. And so far the Bobcats are happy with the results — especially with top scorer Stephen Jackson.

Now healthy following a lingering left hamstring injury that ended his season early, Jackson has lost 20 pounds. Down to 225 pounds, he impressed in a workout Tuesday supervised by Charlotte assistant coach Stephen Silas.

“When I saw Jack today, initially I didn’t know it was him,” general manager Rod Higgins said. “He had on this nice white outfit so you could definitely see his waistline. I’m sure that was intentionally done.”

Jackson leads a parade of players scheduled to work out at the team facility before they’re potentially barred July 1. Tyrus Thomas, D.J. Augustin, Matt Carroll and Garrett Temple were on hand Tuesday. Even guard Gerald Henderson, still on crutches following hip surgery, watched the workout.

“It just shows you the leaders that we have on this team, to get guys to collectively say this is something we want to do,” Higgins said.

Kwame Brown, Shaun Livingston, D.J. White and Dante Cunningham, who faces a marijuana possession charge after a May traffic stop in suburban Philadelphia, are expected in before the end of the month.

Paul Silas expressed support for Cunningham on Tuesday in an interview during a basketball clinic.

“Things happen and I just hope he learned from it and that certainly that will never happen again. At least that’s my hope,” Silas said. “Everybody makes mistakes and if he learns from his mistakes he’ll be OK.”

Silas was looking forward to what he called an intense two-week session he has planned with Brown. Silas remains hopeful the impending free-agent centre stays in Charlotte.

“Kwame is going to be unbelievable this year because we’re going to have a chance to work on some of his deficiencies,” Silas said. “When he comes back people are going to marvel at him at the way he’s going to be playing.”

Everything is in hurry-up phase now, however, with the potential for a lengthy lockout possible which would separate players and coaches. Carroll, Charlotte’s union representative, acknowledged there’s been little movement in talks which is why players have been scrambling to get to town this month.

“Most importantly, be around the coaches and be in Charlotte because you never know what’s going to happen,” Carroll said. “I think it’s a good thing. I don’t think every team in the league has that many guys coming back right now.”