Celtics 96, Bobcats 86
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Guard Jordan Crawford scored 21 points, hitting four 3-pointers in the first three quarters and then six free throws in the final minute, as the Boston Celtics beat the Charlotte Bobcats 96-86 on Monday night.
The Celtics (6-10) pulled away thanks to a 9-0 run to open the fourth quarter and went on to lead by as many as 12 down the stretch. It was Boston's second straight win and was payback for a loss to the Bobcats in Boston earlier this month.
The Celtics also got 17 points from forward and former Bobcat Gerald Wallace. Forward Brandon Bass scored 16, forward Jeff Green 13 and guard Courtney Lee 11. The Celtics wound up 9 of 20 from three-point range, with Crawford going 4 of 6.
Guard Kemba Walker led the Bobcats with 28 points on 11 of 17 shooting. Guard Gerald Henderson scored 20 and center Al Jefferson had 14. But Charlotte, which fell to 7-8, got just 15 points from its bench.
Charlotte led by as many as 10 in the first quarter and settled for a 21-14 lead after one. Boston then went on a 17-2 run to open the second quarter and built a 47-38 lead at halftime. The lead grew to 11 early in the third quarter before the Bobcats came back to tie, and Boston eventually took a 68-66 lead into the fourth before using that 9-0 run to pull away.
Notes: The Bobcats won the only previous game between the teams this season, 89-83 in Boston on Nov. 13. Bobcats C Al Jefferson had 22 points and 11 rebounds against his former team. F Jeff Green led Boston with 19. ... The Bobcats were coming off a 96-72 win at Milwaukee on Saturday night, their biggest victory margin of the season. It was just the second time all season that the team has led wire to wire. ... The Celtics were coming off a 94-87 win at Atlanta on Saturday night that snapped a six-game losing streak. ... Celtics C Kelly Olynyk will miss about two weeks with a sprained right ankle, while G Rajon Rondo (torn ACL right knee) and G Keith Bogans (ill) remain out indefinitely. ... Bobcats C Brendan Haywood (stress fracture left foot) is out for about two months. ... The Bobcats came into the game ranked third in the NBA in scoring defense, yielding just 91.6 ppg. The 72 points allowed at Milwaukee were the third-fewest in franchise history. ... Bobcats F Josh McRoberts ranks sixth in the NBA in assists per turnover at 3.4. ... The Celtics were closing out a two-game Southern trip and will return home to face Memphis on Wednesday. ... The Bobcats were opening a three-game homestand. They'll play Indiana on Wednesday and Milwaukee on Friday. ... The teams will meet just three times this season, with Game 3 set for April 11 in Boston.
