Bobcats down Nuggets
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Charlotte, NC (SportsNetwork.com) - Al Jefferson scored 26 points and pulled down 13 rebounds to help the Charlotte Bobcats take a 105-98 win over the Denver Nuggets.
Kemba Walker added 24 points, seven assists and six rebounds and Gary Neal finished with 19 points on 7-of-9 shooting for the Bobcats, winners in three of their last four games.
"It was an important win. They're hard to guard, but we hung in there. We fought hard. It wasn't our best game. We made a lot of mistakes in the fourth quarter, but it's a good win and an important win for our team," said Bobcats coach Steve Clifford.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Ty Lawson poured in 24 points and dished out six assists and Aaron Brooks finished with 16 points off the bench for the Nuggets, losers in eight of their last 10.
"We didn't seem to get engaged in the game until the end when we were trying to scramble and come back. The game was in the balance all night long and we couldn't seem to get over the hump. They made the plays that they need to make down the stretch and we didn't," said Nuggets coach Brian Shaw.
The Bobcats led 25-22 after 12 minutes. Jefferson scored 12 points in the frame on 5-of-7 shooting from the floor and also pulled down seven boards.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Charlotte opened an 13-5 swing to go up 41-29 following a pair of Walker free throws with 6:47 remaining in the first half. The Bobcats led 51-41 with 49 seconds to go, but a pair of Kenneth Faried layups pulled the Nuggets within six, 51-45, entering the break.
The Bobcats pushed their spread to 14, 69-55, midway through the third and carried a 79-68 lead into the final frame.
Lawson pulled the Nuggets within five, 101-96, with just over a minute left in the fourth quarter, but the Bobcats outscored the Nuggets 4-2 the rest of the way to seal the win.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Game Notes
The Bobcats scored 17 points off 15 Denver turnovers ... The Nuggets outscored the Bobcats 54-24 in the paint ... McRoberts scored 15 points ... Faried finished with 15 points and nine rebounds.