<p>For the better part of three years, Nazr Mohammed came off the bench for the Atlanta Hawks as the backup center.</p><p>He has been with the New York Knicks for more than a month now, taking over as the starting center, and he showed his former team Monday night how valuable he can be in a bigger role.</p><p>Mohammed had 18 points and 13 rebounds in his first game against his former team, and the Knicks pulled away early in the fourth quarter to defeat the Hawks 96-84.</p><p>"Every player wants to play more," Mohammed said. "When I was there, of course I wanted to play more, but we weren't a great defensive team, and Theo Ratliff is the best shot-blocking defender that I know, so he played a lot more than me for our team _ and he had to."</p><p>Mohammed and Ratliff were traded from the Hawks within days of each other, and Atlanta is now playing out the season with Jason Collier as its center.</p><p>Collier was no match for Mohammed, fouling out in just 18 minutes.</p><p>Mohammed took six of the Knicks' first seven shots and had eight points, five rebounds and two steals before picking up his second foul eight minutes into the first quarter.</p><p>He also had 10 points and five rebounds in the third quarter.</p><p>"Actually, I was probably too motivated just because I got so tired so quickly," Mohammed said. "I don't think I played as well as I probably should have tonight."</p><p>Another ex-Hawk, DerMarr Johnson, hit a 3-pointer to end the third quarter and give the Knicks a 75-68 lead, then knocked in another 3 as part of a 16-4 run to start the fourth quarter that turned the game into a blowout.</p><p>Penny Hardaway added 14 points and Stephon Marbury had 11 points and 11 assists for the Knicks, who swept the season series from the Hawks for the first time since 1974-75.</p><p>Johnson had 14 points, one of his best performances in 11 games since signing with New York as a free agent.</p><p>The difference maker, however, was Mohammed, who spent so much time on the bench in Atlanta that he remarked upon his arrival in New York that he had six years' of experience and just two years of wear and tear.</p><p>"I've got a lot of respect for that organization," Mohammed said. "(General manager) Billy Knight was straight up with me all year, he told me if they could put me in a good spot he'd definitely look at it.</p><p>"All year long he told me this team (the Knicks) was calling about you, and we were talking. He was great with me all year."</p><p>Stephen Jackson had 20 points for the Hawks, who lost for the ninth time in 11 games.</p><p>The Knicks overcame the absence of two starters as Allan Houston (bruised quadriceps) and Tim Thomas (strained groin) sat out. Also, Hardaway strained a groin muscle late in the game.</p><p>Atlanta led 29-25 after the first quarter, but the Hawks shot just 4-for-17 in the second quarter and trailed 50-44 at halftime.</p><p>Johnson and Hardaway opened the fourth quarter with 3s for an 81-68 lead, and Vin Baker converted a three-point play_ drawing Collier's sixth foul _ for an 87-72 lead with 7:18 left. That allowed Mohammed to watch from the bench as his new team finished off his old one.</p><p>"He's that extra inside presence they need, that extra big banger," Atlanta's Jason Terry said. "They've got Kurt Thomas, who can bang and shoot jumpers. Now you put in Nazr Mohammed, who can rebound and bang inside, and you've got a good combination."</p><p>Notes:@ Houston missed his third consecutive game. Shandon Anderson started in his place and had just three points. ... Travis Hansen had a career-high 10 points for the Hawks.</p>
