Jamaica Gleaner
Published: Thursday | January 8, 2009
Home : Sport
Bobcats stun Celtics in overtime

Chicago Bulls' Joakim Noah (centre) dives for a loose ball against Sacramento Kings' Jason Thompson (left) and Spencer Hawes (partially hidden) in the third quarter of an NBA basketball game in Chicago on Tuesday night. The Bulls won 99-94. - AP

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina (AP):

The Charlotte Bobcats stunned Boston 114-106 in overtime to continue the Celtics' sudden slide in the NBA on Tuesday night.

Beaten by their surprising nemesis for the second time in two seasons, the defending champions have quickly gone from unbeatable to vulnerable.

After a team-record 19-game winning streak and an NBA-record 27-2 start, the Celtics lost for the fifth time in seven games, leaving battered, bruised and angry by coach Larry Brown's upstart Bobcats.

Paul Pierce scored 28 points, but had a key turnover in overtime. Ray Allen scored 20 points on 7-of-20 shooting for the Celtics.

Raymond Felton scored 25 points and rookie D.J. Augustin added 11 of his 20 points in overtime for Charlotte.

Bulls 99, Kings 94

At Chicago, Ben Gordon scored 24 points and Chicago beat Sacramento to snap a three-game losing streak.

The Bulls converted 33 of 36 free throws, but the three they missed nearly cost them. After making their first 29, Chicago hit just four of its final seven, allowing Sacramento to stay in the game.

Trailing 97-94 after Chicago's Drew Gooden hit 1-of-2 with 9.1 seconds left, Sacramento had a chance to tie it. But Kevin Martin missed a finger roll with four seconds left and Thabo Sefolosha hit two more free throws to seal it for the Bulls.

Kevin Martin had 29 points for the lowly Kings, who have dropped 10 of 11.

Hornets 116, Lakers 105

At Los Angeles, David West scored 15 of his 40 points in the fourth quarter and Chris Paul added 32 points and 15 assists as New Orleans snapped the Los Angeles Lakers' 15-game home winning streak.

West shot 14-of-23 from the floor and 12-of-13 from the foul line in matching his career high. He also grabbed 11 rebounds as the Hornets (21-10) won for the 16th time in 21 games and avenged two losses to the Lakers in New Orleans earlier this season.

Kobe Bryant led the Lakers with 39 points and seven assists, but scored only two in the fourth quarter.

Magic 89, Wizards 80

At Orlando, Florida, Hedo Turkoglu scored 22 points and Orlando held off a late scoring burst by Caron Butler to beat Washington.

Orlando centre Dwight Howard had his league-leading 25th double-double, with 15 points and 16 rebounds. Jameer Nelson added 14 points for the Magic, who rebounded from their loss at Toronto on Sunday.

Butler had 29 points, all in the second half and Antawn Jamison scored 13 for the recently energised Wizards, who fell to 0-3 against Orlando this season.

Thunder 107, Knicks 99

At Oklahoma City, Kevin Durant had 27 points and 12 rebounds and Jeff Green scored 27 points as Oklahoma City held off New York.

The Thunder (5-30) continued their recent offensive surge, shooting 52.7 per cent from the field - including an 11-for-16 performance by Durant.

Still, they nearly blew a 23-point second-half lead before recovering.

Al Harrington scored 21 points and Chris Duhon added 18 for the Knicks (13-20), who were coming off a victory over defending NBA champion Boston.

New York, which beat the Thunder by 10 points on November 14, shot 39.8 per cent.

Russell Westbrook added 22 points and nine assists for Oklahoma City.




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