Jefferson Scores 26 as Nets Hold On Expansion Bobcats
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CHARLOTTE, N.C.- Richard Jefferson scored 26 points and lifted the New Jersey Nets past the Charlotte Bobcats 94-91 last night, snapping the Bobcats’ five-game home-winning streak.
Jefferson scored 11 of New Jersey’s final 14 points as the Nets won for the first time in four games. Vince Carter, recently acquired by the Nets in a trade with Toronto, still hasn’t played for New Jersey because of a sore Achilles’ tendon.
Nets center Nenad Krstic had 13 points and 12 rebounds in his first NBA start but was ejected midway through the third quarter for hitting Gerald Wallace in the face with an elbow while clearing room after a rebound. Krstic was averaging 11 minutes and four points per game, but was the game’s leading scorer and rebounder when he was tossed.
The ejection didn’t seem to faze the Nets, who never lost the lead.
Kareem Rush led Charlotte with 23 points. Rookie Emeka Okafor, the Bobcats’ leading scorer, was held scoreless in the first half before finishing with his 13th consecutive double-double of 11 points and 10 rebounds.
Krstic dominated inside early on, nearly posting a double-double in the first half with nine points and 10 rebounds as the Nets led 45-39 at the break.
The Bobcats started slow, falling behind by 10 in the first quarter, but rallied to tie it behind Rush’s barrage of 3-pointers.
Jason Hart had a career-high 15 assists for the Bobcats.
