Howard 'making no apologies' for elbow on Zeller

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Dwight Howard lost his cool, and the Atlanta Hawks lost a potentially key Eastern Conference game.

Howard was ejected with 5:38 left and his team leading by three when he threw an elbow at the head of Charlotte center Cody Zeller and received a flagrant-2 foul. The Hornets scored the next nine points - seven by Kemba Walker - and snapped Atlanta's six-game winning streak with a 100-96 victory Friday night.

Nic Batum had 24 points and 10 rebounds, and Zeller matched his career high with 23 points on 9-of-10 shooting for the Hornets (8-3), who earned their biggest win of the season.

Walker overcame a slow start to score 19 of his 21 points in the second half for his 10th straight 20-point game.

Howard said afterward the contact wasn't intentional and he didn't think it cost his team the game.

''It wasn't like I tried to hit him in the face, but my job is to protect my house - at all costs,'' said Howard, who finished with 10 points and 18 rebounds. ''I am making no apologies for it.''

Paul Millsap, who led the Hawks with 22 points and 13 rebounds, said the ejection fueled the home crowd.

''Plays like that are momentum shifts,'' Millsap said. ''It kind of sparked them. They took that and added fuel to the fire.''

The ejection revved up the crowd - and apparently Walker, too.

The 6-foot point guard drove baseline and made a reverse layup to give the Hornets the lead for good. Walker added another layup off a hesitation dribble and then connected on a 3-pointer from the top of the arc to push the lead to six.

Zeller said after the game he didn't think Howard's elbow to the face was a dirty play.

''I have taken a lot of hard hits with two older brothers,'' Zeller said. ''I knew it was going to be a physical game. But it was a huge play in the game because they couldn't go to him late in the game and we went on a run.''