Associated Press
PHOENIX — Stephen Jackson scored 16 of his 23 points in the second half and the Charlotte Bobcats won for the fourth time in five games, beating the Phoenix Suns 114-107 on Wednesday night.
Gerald Wallace had 16 of his 22 points in the final two quarters for Charlotte, much improved since Paul Silas replaced Larry Brown as coach. After a 94-89 win at Sacramento on Tuesday, the Bobcats are off to a 2-0 start on a season-high, six-game road trip.
Steve Nash had 27 points and 15 assists and Vince Carter scored 22 for Phoenix on his 34th birthday, but the Bobcats shot 51 percent to beat the Suns for the fourth time in a row.
The Suns, back from a five-game trip, lost their third straight despite making 16 of 32 3-pointers, 12 of 19 in the second half.
Nash, who went 4 for 4 from beyond the arc, connected from deep to cut the Bobcats’ lead to 110-107 with 3:03 remaining but the Suns didn’t score again. Gerald Henderson’s 10-footer with 2:39 to play made it 112-107, and after consecutive fouls were called against Channing Frye, D.J. Augustin finished off the scoring with a pair of free throws with 1:49 left.
Charlotte was 25 of 29 at the free-throw line, compared with Phoenix’s 9 of 10. The Suns didn’t attempt a free throw in the second half, while the Bobcats were 13 of 16.
Marcin Gortat matched his career high with 16 points for the Suns but was scoreless and took just one shot in the second half.
Wallace made six of seven shots in the second half. Boris Diaw finished with 18 and Augustin and Henderson had 15 points apiece for Charlotte.
The Bobcats led nearly the entire first half, going up 53-45 on Wallace’s tip-in 3:37 before the break. Carter responded with consecutive 3-pointers as the Suns outscored Charlotte 12-6 the rest of the half to cut the Bobcats’ lead to 59-57.
The Suns made their first six 3s of the second half and were 8 of 11 from long range in the third quarter, but still trailed 92-87 entering the fourth.