<p>Jason Richardson and Nick Van Exel expect to put up big numbers as the Golden State Warriors starting backcourt _ and theyre just two parts of an equation that might add up to more victories than anybody expected.</p><p>Richardson had 16 points and 10 rebounds in his first game back from suspension, and Van Exel scored 12 points in his Warriors debut, a 99-72 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday night.</p><p>Erick Dampier had 11 points and 18 rebounds for Golden State, which began a five-game homestand with an energizing victory following the addition of two starters. Van Exel missed the first three games of the season following minor knee surgery, while Richardson was suspended for assaulting his ex-girlfriend.</p><p>We have a lot of veterans who have been around, who know how to win, Van Exel said. Thats going to be our strength.</p><p>After the offseason departures of Antawn Jamison and Gilbert Arenas, their top scorers and team leaders, nearly everyone expected the Warriors to regress from the team that went a surprising 38-44 last season.</p><p>Instead, Golden State has shown early signs of veteran savvy _ such as the tenacity to bury the struggling Hawks with stifling defense in the second half.</p><p>Its just a veteran team, a smart team, said Dampier, who has four straight games of double figures in points and rebounds. Its a different feeling around here. This is the best team Ive been a part of, and I think were going to show it on the court.</p><p>The Warriors led by only five midway through the third quarter, but they made a 25-5 run into the fourth. Richardsons reverse dunk on an alley-oop pass from Mike Dunleavy with 8:41 left was the rallys highlight.</p><p>It was the Warriors biggest victory since a 28-point win over Cleveland last Jan. 15 _ and with Van Exel and Richardson back, Golden States only missing starter is injured forward Troy Murphy.</p><p>We wanted to go out there and put them away, Richardson said. We know theyre capable of coming back, but we played real great team defense. Thats one of the differences from last years team. Sometimes we struggled on defense.</p><p>Jason Terry had 13 points and six assists for Atlanta in his return from a one-game suspension for throwing a flagrant elbow last Saturday against Indiana, but the Hawks couldnt keep up in their third straight loss to the Warriors.</p><p>At the start of a five-game West Coast road swing, Atlanta went 3-for-15 from the field and scored just eight points in the fourth quarter, tying the franchise record for fewest points in the fourth.</p><p>While the Warriors seem to be fixing the problems that have kept them out of the playoffs for nine years, Atlanta is off to another lousy start with four losses in five games.</p><p>It was a terrible exhibition of basketball, said center Theo Ratliff, who had eight points and six rebounds. We werent playing together. We were just jacking up shots and not really playing defense, and we cant expect to play that way and be in the game. Thats why we got blown out like that.</p><p>Dion Glover scored 11 points for the Hawks, who were 11-of-36 from the field in the second half. Shareef Abdur-Rahim had eight points and 12 rebounds.</p><p>It was probably the first bad game weve played, coach Terry Stotts said. We didnt get a lot done.</p><p>Van Exel got a warm ovation in the half-full Arena when he was introduced with the Warriors starters. Wearing No. 37 and bantering amiably with his teammates, the well-traveled star got six assists and stayed mostly in the background as one of six Warriors scoring in double figures.</p><p>After experiencing no pain following practice Tuesday and the morning shoot-around, Van Exel decided to return from his surgery sooner than most expected.</p><p>I felt very rusty, he said. I felt sluggish. It felt like I was going 2 mph. I didnt pick it up the way Id like to. ... I felt a lot better at halftime. I usually wear two pairs of socks, but I came in and took a pair off at half. I felt a little lighter, seriously.</p><p>Notes:@ Foyle will have more surgery on his injured left knee Thursday. Foyle missed all of training camp and played in just one game this season after offseason surgery. ... Hawks rookie Boris Diaw was a teammate of Golden State rookie Mickael Pietrus in the top French league last season _ but Pietrus is out with a sprained ankle. ... Atlanta F Alan Henderson didnt dress with a sore back. ... The Hawks also scored eight points in the fourth quarter against Miami on Nov. 15, 1996.</p>
