Bobcats claw past Celtics

"I think tonight was a good team win," Morrison said. "We have everyone playing solid. It will help our team if we can get out and run more. That helps us younger guys get easier shots."

Raymond Felton notched 16 points and nine assists for the Bobcats, who snapped a two-game skid. Gerald Wallace scored 14 points, and Emeka Okafor posted 11 points and 13 boards. Matt Carroll added 11 points.

Bobcats guard Brevin Knight left Monday’s 93-85 loss to Dallas with a lower left calf strain, and sat out Wednesday’s game.

Paul Pierce poured in a game-high 28 points and grabbed 14 rebounds for the Celtics, who had a three-game winning streak snapped. Ryan Gomes netted 12 points as the only other Celtic in double figures. Al Jefferson returned from a two-week absence for an emergency appendectomy, and scored six points and pulled down eight rebounds.

Tony Allen’s three-point play brought Boston within 80-77 with 3:44 left, but the Bobcats scored the next five points.

With Boston trailing 88-81, Pierce hoisted a three-point attempt with 30 seconds left, but came up short. Morrison got the rebound and then fouled with 19.7 seconds remaining. He converted both free throws, but Sebastian Telfair answered immediately with a layup. However, Carroll converted a pair of free throws two seconds later to seal the win for Charlotte.

"We’ve lost games before," Boston coach Doc Rivers said. "You can live with that, but not tonight. It was an embarrassing effort on our part."

After Gomes hit a jumper in the opening minute, Charlotte took off on a 12-2 run capped by a Felton jumper with 7:25 remaining in the first quarter. The Bobcats led 29-17 heading into the second.

Boston started the second on a 13-2 spurt capped by a pair of Rajon Rondo layups to trail 31-30 with 7:51 left. Charlotte regrouped and led 53-49 at halftime.

The Bobcats outscored the Celtics by a point in the third quarter and by four in the fourth for the final margin.

Charlotte shot 33-for-79 (41.8 percent) from the floor, while Boston finished 32-for-80 (40 percent). The Celtics outrebounded the Bobcats, 48-44.

Game Notes

Boston defeated Charlotte already this season on November 8 by a 110-108 score in overtime...The Celtics had a three-game winning streak against Charlotte snapped, but have won seven of the nine meetings against the Bobcats.