Associated Press
CHARLOTTEó For three quarters, Charlotte Bobcats coach Larry Brown thought his team was “acting like spoiled children trying to wish and hope our way back in the game.”
In the fourth quarter, the Bobcats came through with an effort that left Brown smiling and his former team pouting.
Stephen Jackson scored 24 points and had the clinching bucket, Raymond Felton scored 18 points and had two critical driving layups, and the Bobcats rallied to beat New York 94-87 on Tuesday night to end the Knicks’ season-best four-game winning streak.
The difference: Charlotte outscored New York 28-13 in the fourth quarter, including a game-closing 15-2 run.
“That was the best win of the year for me,” Brown said. “I mean we were dead.”
Lakers 96, Bulls 87
CHICAGO ó Kobe Bryant scored a season-high 42 points, and the Los Angeles Lakers won for the 12th time in 13 games, beating the fading Chicago Bulls 96-87 on Tuesday.
Down one through three quarters, the Lakers pulled away early in the fourth and sent Chicago to its 11th loss in 13 games.
Bryant was simply phenomenal even though he was wearing a splint on his broken right index finger. He was particularly good in the early going, scoring 20 points in the first quarter and 25 in the half.
Andrew Bynum added 11 points, Pau Gasol grabbed 16 rebounds and Shannon Brown scored seven of his nine in the fourth as Los Angeles came away with the win.
Cavaliers 99, Nets 89
CLEVELAND ó LeBron James had 23 points, six rebounds and seven assists while adding the role of peacemaker to his duties, and the Cavaliers beat New Jersey.
Brook Lopez had 22 points and 15 rebounds for New Jersey. Harris had 22 points and reserve Rafer Alston had 20 points.
Heat 115, Raptors 95
MIAMI ó Michael Beasley tied his career high with 28 points, Dwyane Wade added 19 while sitting out the entire fourth quarter and the Heat won at home for the first time in more than three weeks.
Beasley added 11 rebounds for the Heat, who snapped a four-game home slide.