NBA News Wire
Nets 105, Bobcats 89
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
NEW YORK — Forward Paul Pierce did not attempt an overwhelming amount of shots on Wednesday night, but when he did, he did so efficiently, scoring 25 points on 9-of-11 shooting as the Brooklyn Nets defeated the Charlotte Bobcats 105-89.
The Nets used a 10-0 run to open the second half on their way to a 35-19 margin to pull away from a pesky Bobcats team comfortably. Pierce scored 14 in the third quarter as Charlotte finally faded after being unfazed by prior Brooklyn runs.
While Pierce played primary scorer, forwards Kevin Garnett and Andray Blatche provided secondary options, scoring 10 and 13 points respectively to help carry an offense whose key players struggled for a majority of the evening.
All-Star guard Joe Johnson started the game 0-for-6 from the field through three quarters, but a pair of open 3-pointers got his game going. He finished with eight points.
Coming into Wednesday night, Bobcats center Al Jefferson had averaged 29 points per game and recorded 30 points in five of his last seven outings. He was held to just 12 in Brooklyn.
Bobcats guard Kemba Walker was a lone bright spot, scoring 16 points and adding three assists while Charlotte’s third-leading scorer, guard Gerald Henderson, was held to just seven points.
For every Nets action, there was an equal and opposite Bobcats reaction up until the end of the second quarter as a see-saw of runs dictated the first half.
Pierce and Blatche had a nine points apiece in the first quarter, but Jefferson had 11 of his own for the Bobcats. Brooklyn led as many as nine in the quarter, but Charlotte was quick with a reply.
The Nets used an 8-0 run to start the second quarter to re-open its lead, but with a pair of sputtering offenses, the Bobcats found a way to slow the game down and climb back again by going on a 7-0 run.
A 10-2 stretch put the Nets back up nine as they took a 50-44 lead into halftime. After starting the game shooting 10 of 17, the Nets shot just 10 of 26 for the rest of the half.
NOTES: The Nets and Bobcats are currently neighbors in the Eastern Conference playoff standings. Brooklyn is in seventh while Charlotte sits in eighth. … The Bobcats won four of their past six games, including a 114-89 game vs. the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday night. … The Nets won their last three home games and are 9-2 at the Barclays Center in 2014. After Wednesday’s night’s game against Charlotte, Brooklyn will embark upon a seven-game West Coast road-trip. … The Bobcats are led by C Al Jefferson, who is averaging a double-double this season with 20.3 points-per-game and 10.5 rebounds-per-game. He scored 30 or more points in five of his last seven games. … Bobcats G Kemba Walker is enjoying a successful sophomore campaign, averaging 18.1 ppg and 5.2 assists-per-game.
