Basketball Update: Stephen Jackson leads Charlotte Bobcats past New Jersey Nets 91-84
A quieter Stephen Jackson returned from a one-game suspension and posted 25 points, six assists and five rebounds as Bobcats outlasted the Nets in overtime 91-84, at the Time Warner Cable Arena. 12,183 basketball fans witnessed this great victory of Charlotte
at home.
High-Flying Players:
Three Bobcats finished with double-doubles in points and rebounds as Boris Diaw had 11 and 16, Nazr Mohammed went for 14 and 11 and Gerald Wallace added 12 and 13 to the win.
Travis Outlaw posted 21 points for the Nets in their defeat. Anthony Morrow netted 19 points and Jordan Farmar contributed 16 points while also grabbing 10 assists and 10 rebounds.
Nets played their second straight game without Harris, who made the trip despite his strained left knee. Nets' coach Avery Johnson was being cautious with his second-lead scorer, as he said, "If this was a playoff game, he probably could push it and play
at about 80 percent, maybe, with the knee not being totally stable."
Charlotte used their solid defence to make up for the shooting woes, holding New Jersey to 31.9 percent from the field -- including a 2-for-12 effort in the overtime.
Both teams started ice cold but Charlotte managed to make it to the free throw line early, to help build a quick lead. Even though the Nets pushed to within five late in the first quarter, the game was truly never in doubt. In the first quarter, Charlotte
played some sloppy basketball but slowly began to build their lead, taking 18-16 lead into the second.
In the second quarter, Charlotte got it going offensively, and used that to build up a 33-32 lead at the half, scoring 15 points in the second quarter.
Brook Lopez of Nets did not get his first field goal until midway through the third quarter; in the midst of Charlotte's 21-9 run to take a 54-41 lead.
Bobcats led by 16 points in the third quarter and 77-70 with just over a minute left.
Gerald Wallace missed two free throws with 11.7 seconds and Charlotte leading 79-77. The rebound bounced off New Jersey's Brook Lopez out of bounds, but Wallace then collided with Outlaw on Diaw's dangerous inbound pass and was called for a foul.
Outlaw hit the tying free throws with 9.2 seconds left before Charlotte's D.J. Augustin missed a fade away at the buzzer.
Tyrus Thomas of Charlotte then scored four of his 12 points in overtime (OT) and Nets could not overcome a 62-48 rebounding deficit.
After Bobcats blew a seven-point lead, Jackson hit four straight free throws in the final 31 seconds of overtime.
Game Figures:
It was Charlotte’s seventh victory of the season.
Boris Diaw of Charlotte added a career-best 16 rebounds.
Bobcats' Gerald Henderson (knee injury) missed his 10th straight game.
Tags: