NBA Game Summary - New Jersey at Charlotte 02.15.2006
|
Charlotte, NC (Basketball News) - Vince Carter scored 19 points and tipped in his own miss with 9.6 seconds left to boost New Jersey to a 95-94 triumph over the Charlotte Bobcats, in the final game before the All-Star break for the two teams.
Richard Jefferson totaled 25 points and 10 rebounds, while Nenad Krstic added 22 points for the Nets, who snapped a seven-game road losing streak. Jason Kidd narrowly missed a triple-double with 11 points, nine boards and nine assists, as New Jersey posted its first away win since January 18 at Philadelphia.
Brevin Knight had a season-high 28 points for Charlotte (14-40), which goes into the All-Star break with the fewest wins in the NBA. Jumaine Jones added 18 points for the Bobcats, who were without center Primoz Brezec (tendinitis in left Achilles). Charlotte lost its fourth straight game.
Carter also had seven rebounds and seven assists, as New Jersey (28-23) won for the fifth time in seven contests leading to the All-Star break. The Nets hold the top spot in the Atlantic Division.
Carter’s two free throws gave the Nets a 93-92 lead with 23.3 seconds left, but Matt Carroll’s jumper from the right wing over Carter gave the Bobcats the lead back with 16.1 showing on the clock.
Carter then missed on his drive to the hoop after challenging Melvin Ely, but tipped in his own miss.
Knight missed a layup at the other end after New Jersey’s Clifford Robinson disrupted the shot, and Kidd was fouled with 1.7 seconds left. Kidd missed the two free throws, but the Bobcats were left without a timeout and Jones failed to get off a desperation shot.
Robinson ended with 10 points, as the Nets outrebounded Charlotte, 48-34.
Ely had 15 points and nine boards, while Carroll ended with 14 points.
The Nets led by as many as 18 points, at 31-13 on a Krstic jumper in the final minute of the opening quarter. The Bobcats, though, used a 10-1 run to get within 39-36 in the second quarter. The game was tied at 48 at halftime and the Nets led 76-73 going into the fourth.