Charlotte Bobcats escape with a win over the New Jersey Nets
The Charlotte Bobcats bagged their first win of the season after escaping with a come-from-behind win against the New Jersey Nets, 85-83, on Wednesday 3 November at the Prudential Center
in Newark.
Down by the 10 points late in the game, the Bobcats unleashed a 16-4 blast to end the game, and D.J Augustin hit two crucial free throws in the final 30.9 seconds, preventing their fourth-straight
defeat of the season.
"It would have been very tough for us to be 0-4," said Augustin, who finished with five points, seven assists, and six rebounds. "We needed this win badly. It's going to give us a boost of
confidence going into our next game"
Boris Diaw had an outstanding game as the French forward racked up 24 points, while Gerald Wallace scored 20 points and grabbed 11 rebounds for the Bobcats, who notched their first win before
going to a tough home stand against the Orlando Magic and the San Antonio Spurs after their game against the Detroit Pistons on Friday 5 November.
"We were struggling and we needed something good," Bobcats coach Larry Brown said. "To get a win on the road is important. I saw some ugly things that happen when you don't execute. But down
the stretch, we made good passes and decisions on offence."
Devin Harris paced the Nets with his 19 points and eight assists, despite playing with a sprained left shoulder, while Brook Lopez added 17 points and six rebounds for the Nets, who opened
the fourth quarter with an 18-7 streak, but failed to hold on to their 10-point in the final period.
Travis Outlaw hit a long-range bomb at the 4:45 mark of the fourth, giving the Nets a 79-69 lead, but they allowed the Bobcats to unleash the 16-4 run en route to their second-straight loss
after starting the season with two-straight wins.
"We just have to learn to put teams away," said Harris, who spent half of the third quarter in the locker room after hurting his left shoulder.
New Jersey had a chance to tie the game but Outlaw missed a ten-footer with 9.9 seconds left in the game, which was followed by a missed tip from Lopez. Outlaw, who finished with six points,
got an offensive rebound, but his 18-foot jumper with less than five seconds left bounced off the rim.
"They kept getting shots and they fell off the rim," said Stephen Jackson, who started the game 0-for-8 from the field, but erupted in the fourth period, scoring eight of his 12 points. "We
had the luck of the basketball gods there. We stayed with our defence and got after it at the end of the game."
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