NBA News Wire
Bobcats 100, Wizards 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. — Guard Kemba Walker had 21 points and 10 assists, and center Al Jefferson had 19 points and 11 rebounds as the Charlotte Bobcats rallied to beat the Washington Wizards 100-94 on Monday night.
The Bobcats came back from a 60-44 halftime deficit and won by outscoring the Wizards 19-4 over the last 6:43. They took the lead for good at 93-92 on a follow shot by center Al Jefferson with 3:30 remaining, part of a 12-0 run.
The Bobcats (36-38) solidified their hold on the No. 7 spot in the Eastern Conference playoff race and pulled to within two games of the No. 6 Wizards (38-36) with eight games to play.
The Bobcats also got 18 points from guard Chris Douglas-Roberts and 15 points from forward Cody Zeller.
Guard Bradley Beal led Washington with 20 points. Guard Martell Webster scored 14, forward Drew Gooden scored 12, and forward Trevor Ariza and forward Al Harrington scored 11 each. Guard John Wall was held to 10 points on 4-of-16 shooting.
Charlotte led 25-20 after one quarter and scored the first five points of the second quarter to push the lead to 30-20. But the Wizards, with Beal and Harrington doing most of the damage, took complete control at that point and outscored the Bobcats 40-19 in the period. Washington was 15-of-20 (75 percent) from the field in the quarter.
Charlotte whittled the margin down to 80-70 after three quarters.
NOTES: This was the third of four meetings between the teams this season. They had split the previous two. They will play again in Washington on April 9. … The Bobcats signed F D.J. White to a second 10-day contract on Monday. White had played just four minutes entering Monday night’s action. … The Bobcats came into the game leading the league in fewest turnovers, averaging 12.4 per game. … Bobcats G Gary Neal was back in action after missing the previous two games with a sprained ankle. … Wizards G John Wall leads the NBA in total assists, although his average of 8.7 entering Monday’s action is third in the league. … The Bobcats have not had C Brendan Haywood (stress fracture left foot) all season and will be without F Jeffery Taylor (ruptured right Achilles) for the rest of the season. … Wizards F Nene (sprained left knee) missed his 18th straight game. … The Bobcats will play at Philadelphia on Wednesday and will have four of their next five games on the road. … The Wizards will return home to face Boston on Wednesday and will have three of their next four games at home.
