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Bobcats 124, Trail Blazers 94
Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry (print and digital media). A freelance writer/stay-at-home dad since 2008, Hawkins started his career with newspaper stints in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Upstate New York and Illinois, where he earned the 2004 APSE first-place award for column writing (under 40,000 circulation). As a beat writer, he covered NASCAR Winston Cup events at NHIS (1999-2003), the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (2003-06) and the NFL's Carolina Panthers (2011-12). Hawkins penned four youth sports books, including a Michael Jordan biography. Hawkins' main hobbies include mountain bike riding, 5k trail runs at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., and live music.
All posts by Jeff HawkinsUpdated15 Oct 2021
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Center Al Jefferson, guard Kemba Walker and guard Gerald Henderson combined for 77 points in basically three quarters as the Charlotte Bobcats snapped a two-game losing streak and routed the Portland Trail Blazers 124-94 on Saturday night.
Jefferson finished with 28 points and did not play at all in the fourth quarter with the Bobcats leading by as many as 34. Walker hit 4 of 5 3-pointers and finished with 26 points, sitting out the final nine minutes. Henderson added 23 points, also all in the first three quarters.
The Bobcats surged to a 26-point lead in the first half, led 69-46 at halftime, and then never let the Trail Blazers get closer than 17 in the second half. Their 124-point outburst was a season high.
The victory allowed the Bobcats (34-36) to retain the No. 7 spot in the Eastern Conference standings with 12 games remaining. It was also the Bobcats’ ninth home win in their last 10.
They had lost by 30 at Portland in January.
The Trail Blazers (45-25) lost for the sixth time in their last nine games and had a two-game winning streak snapped.
Guard Damian Lillard led Portland with 20 points. Forward Dorell Wright scored 17 and guard Wesley Matthews finished with 15.
Charlotte led 33-22 after one quarter, behind 16 points from Jefferson. Charlotte then scored the first nine points of the second quarter to push the lead to 42-22, and eventually the lead grew to 67-41 late in the half. The 69 points were the Bobcats’ most in the first half all season.
The Bobcats led 98-73 after three quarters.
NOTES: Blazers F LaMarcus Aldridge missed his fifth straight game with a lower back contusion, so the Blazers were without their leading scorer (23.4) and rebounder (11.1). The Blazers were also without C Joel Freeland (right knee sprain). … This was the second and final meeting between the teams this season. The Blazers rolled 134-104 in Portland on Jan. 2. Portland tied a franchise record with 21 3-pointers in that game. … The Blazers were opening a five-game road trip. They’ll continue on at Miami on Monday and will also play at Orlando, Atlanta and Chicago. … When Blazers G Damian Lillard scored 20 against Milwaukee on Tuesday, it made him only the seventh player in NBA history to surpass 3,000 points in his first 150 games. The others were Julius Erving, Blake Griffin, Kevin Durant, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Carmelo Anthony. … Bobcats F D.J. White was in uniform for the first time since signing a 10-day contract on Friday. … The Bobcats were without C Brendan Haywood (stress fracture left foot) and F Jeffery Taylor (ruptured right Achilles). Both will miss the rest of the season. … The Bobcats were opening a three-game home stand. They’ll face Houston on Monday.
