Box Score

 

ORLANDO (97)

                          fg    ft    rb             
                   min   m-a   m-a   o-t   a  pf   tp
G Hill              36  9-18   7-7   2-9   1   2   25
D Howard            34  8-12   5-6  4-13   2   4   21
K Cato              25   0-3   4-4   0-4   1   5    4
J Nelson            46  7-16   4-5   1-3   6   5   18
D Stevenson         32  3-10   1-2   2-6   3   4    7
H Turkoglu          27   3-7   5-8   0-2   2   1   11
T Battie            25   2-8   1-1   0-6   0   1    5
S Augmon             3   0-0   0-0   0-0   0   1    0
B Hunter            11   3-5   0-2   1-3   0   2    6
M Kasun              1   0-0   0-0   0-0   0   0    0
P Garrity          DNP  - PERSONAL REASONS                               
S Francis          DNP  - SUSPENDED BY LEAGUE                            
  
_____________________________________________________
TOTALS             240 35-79 27-35 10-46  15  25   97
_____________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.443, FT-.771. 3-Point Goals:
0-1, .000 (H Turkoglu 0-1). Team Rebounds: 5.
Blocked Shots:5 (T Battie 2, G Hill, D 
Stevenson, K Cato). Turnovers:14 (D Howard 5,
G Hill 2, K Cato 2, J Nelson 2, H Turkoglu, D
Stevenson, B Hunter). Steals: 2 (G Hill, D 
Howard).


CHARLOTTE (102)

                          fg    ft    rb             
                   min   m-a   m-a   o-t   a  pf   tp
J Kapono            22   2-7   1-2   2-4   0   3    7
E Okafor            43  7-18   3-9  4-13   1   2   17
P Brezec            39   7-9   2-4   4-8   1   4   16
B Knight            31  7-15   5-5   0-3   8   5   19
K Bogans            17   2-9   3-4   0-2   3   1    8
M Carroll           26   4-9   4-4   2-5   1   0   12
M Ely               14   1-4   0-0   1-5   0   4    2
J Hart              29   2-5   4-6   0-6   8   3    9
B Robinson Jr       19   5-7   1-2   1-4   1   6   12
C Alexander        DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                               
M Allen            DNP  - SORE LEFT ACHILLES                             
T Smith            DNP  - RIGHT KNEE                                     
  
_____________________________________________________
TOTALS             240 37-83 23-36 14-50  23  28  102
_____________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.446, FT-.639. 3-Point Goals:
5-9, .556 (J Kapono 2-2, B Knight 0-1, K 
Bogans 1-2, M Carroll 0-1, J Hart 1-2, B 
Robinson Jr 1-1). Team Rebounds: 10. Blocked 
Shots:7 (P Brezec 3, E Okafor 3, M Ely). 
Turnovers:11 (M Ely 3, P Brezec 2, E Okafor 
2, B Knight, M Carroll, B Robinson Jr, J 
Hart). Steals: 7 (B Knight 3, J Hart 2, J 
Kapono, B Robinson Jr).

-------------------------------------------
ORLANDO               31  24  18  24  -   97
CHARLOTTE             24  20  28  30  -  102
------------------------------------------- 

Technical fouls: None.
Flagrant fouls: None. A: 10,727. T: 2:24. 
Officials: Jack Nies, Tommy Nunez, Violet 
Palmer.

Extended Box

 

ORLANDO (97) AT CHARLOTTE (102)

ORLANDO

                                               REBOUNDS                        
PLAYER           POS  MIN  FGM-FGA  FTM-FTA  OFF-DEF-TOT  AST  PF  ST  TO  PTS
======           ===  ===  =======  =======  ===========  ===  ==  ==  ==  ===
 
G HILL            F    36    9-18     7-7      2   7   9    1   2   1   2   25
D HOWARD          F    34    8-12     5-6      4   9  13    2   4   1   5   21
K CATO            C    25    0-3      4-4      0   4   4    1   5   0   2    4
J NELSON          G    46    7-16     4-5      1   2   3    6   5   0   2   18
D STEVENSON       G    32    3-10     1-2      2   4   6    3   4   0   1    7
H TURKOGLU             27    3-7      5-8      0   2   2    2   1   0   1   11
T BATTIE               25    2-8      1-1      0   6   6    0   1   0   0    5
S AUGMON                3    0-0      0-0      0   0   0    0   1   0   0    0
B HUNTER               11    3-5      0-2      1   2   3    0   2   0   1    6
M KASUN                 1    0-0      0-0      0   0   0    0   0   0   0    0
P GARRITY             DNP  - PERSONAL REASONS                                         
S FRANCIS             DNP  - SUSPENDED BY LEAGUE                                      
  
TOTALS                240   35-79    27-35    10  36  46   15  25   2  14   97
                            (.443)  (.771)  TEAM REBS:  5 TOTAL TO: 15 (13 PTS)    

CHARLOTTE

                                               REBOUNDS                         
PLAYER           POS  MIN  FGM-FGA  FTM-FTA  OFF-DEF-TOT  AST  PF  ST  TO  PTS
======           ===  ===  =======  =======  ===========  ===  ==  ==  ==  ===
 
J KAPONO          F    22    2-7      1-2      2   2   4    0   3   1   0    7
E OKAFOR          F    43    7-18     3-9      4   9  13    1   2   0   2   17
P BREZEC          C    39    7-9      2-4      4   4   8    1   4   0   2   16
B KNIGHT          G    31    7-15     5-5      0   3   3    8   5   3   1   19
K BOGANS          G    17    2-9      3-4      0   2   2    3   1   0   0    8
M CARROLL              26    4-9      4-4      2   3   5    1   0   0   1   12
M ELY                  14    1-4      0-0      1   4   5    0   4   0   3    2
J HART                 29    2-5      4-6      0   6   6    8   3   2   1    9
B ROBINSON JR          19    5-7      1-2      1   3   4    1   6   1   1   12
C ALEXANDER           DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                                         
M ALLEN               DNP  - SORE LEFT ACHILLES                                       
T SMITH               DNP  - RIGHT KNEE                                               
  
TOTALS                240   37-83    23-36    14  36  50   23  28   7  11  102
                            (.446)  (.639)  TEAM REBS: 10 TOTAL TO: 14 (16 PTS)    
  
   ORLANDO            31   24   18   24   -   97
   CHARLOTTE          24   20   28   30   -   102
  
BLOCKED SHOTS: ORLANDO - T BATTIE 2, G HILL, D STEVENSON, K CATO.  CHARLOTTE -
P BREZEC 3, E OKAFOR 3, M ELY.
3-PT. FIELD GOALS: ORLANDO 0-1 (.000), H TURKOGLU 0-1. CHARLOTTE 5-
9 (.556), J KAPONO 2-2, B KNIGHT 0-1, K BOGANS 1-2, M CARROLL 0-1,
J HART 1-2, B ROBINSON JR 1-1.
TECHNICAL FOULS: NONE.
FLAGRANT FOULS: NONE.
OFFICIALS: JACK NIES, TOMMY NUNEZ, VIOLET PALMER.
A - 10,727. T - 2:24.

Game Story

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina (Ticker) -- Brevin Knight delivered a 
much-needed win for the Charlotte Bobcats and a blow to the
playoff hopes of the Orlando Magic.

Knight converted a three-point play with 12 seconds left and the
Bobcats overcame an 11-point halftime deficit to post a 102-97
victory over the shorthanded Magic that snapped a 10-game losing
streak.

"He's a floor general," Charlotte rookie forward Emeka Okafor
said. "He can go out there and score when he needs to.  He
thinks pass first, shoot second, but he can hit the shot when he
needs to and did tonight for us."

With the Bobcats (13-52) nursing 97-95 lead in the closing
seconds, Knight let the shot clock wind down inside 10 seconds
before making a move on rookie guard Jameer Nelson.

Knight dribbled hard to his right and took a bump before lofting
in a runner in the lane over Dwight Howard.  He converted the
free throw to give the Bobcats a 100-95 lead.

"The first half we had a little success with the 1-4 flat
(offense)," Knight said. "So we thought, Why not try it again?
I knew once I got the step on him that he'd (Nelson) have to
body and foul. The next thing was just trying to concentrate and
get the ball up to the rim.  It went in, so it turned out to be
a good play for us."

"(Brevin) is a stabilizer with the ball in his hands," Charlotte
coach Bernie Bickerstaff said.  "His teammates have confidence
in him.  We wanted the ball in his hands.  The confidence is
that he is going to make a play for his teammates and himself."

Orlando (32-35) had a 55-44 halftime lead thanks to All-Star
Grant Hill and rookie Dwight Howard.  Hill had 20 points and
Howard 19 at the break, more than making up for the absence of
star guard Steve Francis, who was serving the second game of a
three-game suspension.

In the second half, the Bobcats outscored the Magic, 58-42, and
limited Hill and Howard to a combined seven points.  Hill
finished with 25 points and Howard 21.

"The Bobcats got the momentum in the third quarter and we lost
it after that," Hill said.  "We really need rest so we can get
ready for Thursday's game.  But give it to the Bobcats, they
just came out on top."

"There was a contrast in the first half and second half,"
Bickerstaff said. "Grant Hill and Dwight Howard had a field day
in the first half. So we did a much better job of paying
attention to them.  We were in quicksand in the first half and
didn't make the commitment to get back on defense."

Knight scored 11 of his 19 points in the fourth quarter and
added eight assists. Okafor scored 10 of his 17 points in the
second half and grabbed 13 rebounds for his 35th double-double
of the season.

"They played harder in the second half," Nelson said. "We can't
play only one half of good basketball."

"We all just stuck together and focused in on the victory,"
Okafor said. "We didn't really have all those ticky-tack
mistakes that we usually have.  We just kept our resolve on the
court tonight."

Orlando came in tied with Philadelphia for the eighth and final
playoff spot in the Eastern Conference but could not separate
itself, losing for the second time in three games against
Charlotte. The teams play again Thursday in Orlando.

"I told them we gave a great effort, but that we played (only) a
half game of a basketball game," Orlando interim coach Chris
Jent said.  "We look back sometimes and say, 'We can,' but there
is no more 'We can.'  It's now 'We have to.'  That is where we
are right now."

"As a team, we need to run the floor, share the ball and play
team defense," Howard said. "If we do those three things, we
will be a tough team to beat."

The Bobcats continued to play shorthanded with just nine
available players.  They lost guard Keith Bogans to back spasms
late in the first half and shuttled Knight in and out on the
defensive end due to back spasms of his own.

"We've been playing with eight, nine guys all year," Knight
said.  "We're kind of veterans to that."

The Bobcats won for just the second time this month.

"It's good to get a win," Okafor said.  "We definitely needed
this win. We really played hard and Brevin did his thing tonight
and really helped us pull it out."