Bobcats-Raptors Preview

By CHRIS ALTRUDA
Posted Feb 16 2012 9:57PM

Precious little has gone right for the Toronto Raptors at home.

For the Charlotte Bobcats, the positives have been fewer and further between regardless of venue as they head into Friday night's game at Air Canada Centre trying to snap a franchise-record 16-game losing streak.

Charlotte (3-26) is winless since beating Golden State 112-100 on Jan. 14, and its 10 road losses during the skid have come by an average of 16.2 points. The most recent defeat there came Wednesday night, a 102-90 loss to Minnesota in which the Bobcats allowed 54 points in the paint while the Timberwolves shot 50.6 percent.

"Some nights it's embarrassing, especially when we lose by a lot," rookie Kemba Walker said. "No one likes to lose by that many points."

Walker, the ninth overall pick, is third on the team with 13.1 points per game. D.J. Augustin - averaging 13.4 points - had nine off the bench in his first action after missing 11 games with an inflamed big toe. The Bobcats, however, are still without injured swingman Gerald Henderson, who leads the team with 15.0 points per game.

A loss would make the Bobcats the 28th team in NBA history to drop at least 17 straight games, though they are still quite a distance from Cleveland's league-record 26-game skid from last season.

"Everybody wants to make history but you don't want to make history that way," guard Matt Carroll said. "You don't want to be that team."

The Raptors, though, may be that team the Bobcats want to play. Charlotte won all four meetings last season, with Augustin averaging 18.5 points and 6.3 assists while committing just three turnovers.

Toronto (9-22) is 1-4 on its current seven-game homestand and 4-10 there overall, having dropped the last three. Having been overwhelmed by Linsanity in losing on a last-second 3-pointer Tuesday by the New York Knicks guard, the Raptors had no answer for another star point guard the following night when Tony Parker had 34 points and 14 assists in Toronto's 113-106 loss.

One of the problems for the Raptors has been finding healthy quality players. Leading scorer Andrea Bargnani - averaging 23.5 points - likely will miss his 19th game in the last 21 with a strained left calf, while Jerryd Bayless (ankle) and Linas Kleiza (knee) - both scoring in double figures at 11.3 and 10.7 points per game, respectively - are questionable for this game.

There were positives in Wednesday's loss, however. DeMar DeRozan scored a season-high 29 points, and Toronto's shortened bench contributed 45 as Rasual Butler, Ed Davis and Anthony Carter all reached double figures.

"Our bench did a great job," coach Dwane Casey said. "Everyone that came in competed and played hard. Now, we have to find a closing group to close the game. And it goes back to being healthy."

Despite the spate of injuries, Toronto's offense has functioned well, shooting at least 47.4 percent during the three-game skid. The Raptors, though, have been outscored 55-30 at the foul line in that span.

Bobcats end 16-game skid, beat Raptors 98-91

Posted Feb 17 2012 11:05PM

TORONTO (AP) Michael Jordan celebrated his 49th birthday with a rare victory by his Charlotte Bobcats.

Reggie Williams scored a season-high 22 points and D.J. Augustin had 11 points and 10 assists to help Charlotte snap a 16-game losing streak by beating the Toronto Raptors 98-91 on Friday night.

It was the Bobcats' first win since beating Golden State 112-100 on Jan. 14 - over a month ago.

"It's big, we're excited about it," Augustin said. "We've been losing a lot. That's not a great feeling. But to win, it feels good."

Kemba Walker scored 14 points and fellow rookie Bismack Biyombo set career highs with 13 rebounds and seven blocks.

"Unbelievable," Bobcats coach Paul Silas said of Biyombo's performance. "He let it all out tonight. Thirteen rebounds, seven blocks. Just outstanding."

Corey Maggette added 16 points as Charlotte avoided becoming the 28th team in NBA history to drop at least 17 straight games on the same day that Jordan, their majority owner, turned 49.

"It's just really good to get the monkey off our back," Maggette said. "It feels great. The last 16 times, we've come in the locker room with our heads down. It's good to see our guys really continue to work and stay positive."

At 4-26, the Bobcats remain the NBA's worst team, three victories behind the New Orleans Hornets. Still, that didn't spoil the celebrations after this one.

"Even though it's only our fourth win, it's just a win," Walker said. "A win is a win. It's been a while. We're overdue. We came in, played tough and pulled it out."

All of Williams' points came in the first three quarters. He did not play in the fourth.

"The two guys I had were going really well, Kemba and D.J. Augustin," Silas explained. "I just decided to stay with them."

DeMar DeRozan scored 24 and Leandro Barbosa 16, while Amir Johnson had a career-high 15 rebounds for the Raptors, who have lost four straight and 10 of 13. Toronto has lost five straight to Charlotte and is 4-11 at home this season.

"Totally disappointed in our focus in the first half," Raptors coach Dwane Casey said. "We didn't really think it was going to be an offensive battle. We'd get our points and then not guard our guy at the other end."

Trailing 69-68 after three quarters, the Bobcats opened the fourth with an 11-2 run, forcing Toronto to call timeout after Augustin's driving layup made gave Charlotte a 79-71 edge with 8:53 left.

Calderon stopped the run with a 3 and Ed Davis added a dunk. But the Bobcats held firm, scoring six of the next eight points to lead 85-78 with 5:58 to go.

Down 90-88, the Raptors were driving for the tying basket inside the final two minutes when Walker forced a steal from Barbosa. At the other end, Barbosa fouled Maggette, who made a pair from the line to put Charlotte up by four at 92-88 with 1:37 left.

"He was coming at me full-speed and I was just trying to get my hand in there," Walker said of the vital steal. "I got a piece of the ball and it went out of bounds off him."

DeRozan banked in a jumper but Walker found Boris Diaw for a baseline shot, restoring the four-point cushion. DeRozan was fouled and made the first but missed the second, with Walker grabbing the rebound for the Bobcats. That led to D.J. White's layup with 15 seconds left, giving Charlotte a 96-91 lead.

Toronto's inbounds play went wrong when Calderon's lob pass ended up in the basket, sending the ball back to the Bobcats. Maggette sealed it with a pair of free throws.

Charlotte made 12 of 13 from the free-throw line in the final quarter.

Williams scored 14 points in the opening quarter, but DeRozan had 13 for the Raptors, who led 23-22 after one.

James Johnson had 10 points and five rebounds for the Raptors in the second but it was the Bobcats, thanks to five points each from Augustin and Maggette, who held a narrow 47-45 lead at the half.

DeRozan had to leave the game midway through the third after colliding with Maggette and being called for a charge, his fourth personal foul. DeRozan stayed down clutching his face and received treatment on the court before walking to the bench.

Walker scored seven points in the third, including a driving layup with 6 seconds left, but Barbosa's seven points gave Toronto a slender 69-68 edge heading into the final quarter.

Notes: Bobcats G Gerald Henderson (strained right hamstring) is not expected to return until next Wednesday's home game against Indiana. ... Bayless returned after missing four games with a sore left ankle. ... Raptors F Linas Kleiza (left knee) missed his second straight game.

Notebook: Bobcats 98, Raptors 91

Posted Friday February 17, 2012 11:09PM

Duane Watson, for NBA.com

THE FACTS: The Charlotte Bobcats (4-26) defeated the Toronto Raptors (9-23) 98-91 to end a 16 game losing streak on Friday. Although the Bobcats boast the worst record in the NBA, they have beat the Raptors in their last five meetings. The Raptors are on a five game losing skid, all at the Air Canada Centre and are 1-5 on a 7 game home stand.

In a closely contested game which never saw either team lead by 6 points throughout the first three quarters, the Bobcats pushed the margin to eight in the final frame. Outscoring the Raptors 30-22 in the final quarter, they shot .923 (12 for 13) from the free throw line to close the game on a 6-3 run.

Reggie Williams led the Bobcats with a season high 22 points. Corey Maggette added 16, D.J. Augustin had 11 points and 10 assists, while Kemba Walker added 14 points and 8 assists off the bench. The Raptors were led by DeMar DeRozan's 24 points, James Johnson and Jose Calderon both added 14. Leandro Barbosa came off the bench to pour in 16 points.

QUOTABLE: "It was really good to get the monkey off our back. Just to get a win, shows that we've been improving. We've been doing a lot of stuff in practice and continually working hard and trying to execute at the end and tonight was a night that actually did that."
-- Maggette

THE STAT: 7. The number of blocked shots from the hands of Bobcats center Bismack Biyombo. He accounted for all but one of Charlotte's blocks and single handily out performed the Raptors four team blocked shots. His presence in the paint changed numerous Raptors attempts as they shot 41.7 percent from the field. Maggette praised his rookie teammate "I think he had 7 or 8 blocks tonight, but not only that he changed a lot of shots tonight that gave us an opportunity cause Biz came from nowhere."

TURNING POINT: As Barbosa broke down the court on a fast break with 1:45 left in the fourth, Walker matched him step for step, getting a clean steal as Barbosa went for the lay-up. That stop denied the Raptors a chance of tying the game at 90 and the Bobcats went on a 6-3 run to close out the game.

QUOTABLE II: "It just makes us more hungry, this win feels good, we're going to enjoy it right now but we got a game coming up Sunday and we feel like we can win that one too."
-- Bobcats guard Augustin

HOT: Both teams had hot players in a close first half (47-45) with the Bobcats up by two points, Williams netted 16 on 7-for-9 shooting and 2-for-3 from the 3-point line. DeRozan finished the first quarter with 13 points and 18 in the half for the Raptors on 7 for 8 from the field and 6 for 8 from the free throw line.

NOT: The Raptors bench stepped up on Wednesday contributing 45 points against the Spurs, but came up short tonight, removing Barbosa's performance from the equation, the bench collectively shot 4-for-17 for 11 points.

IN THE ARENA: Hip-hop group Naughty By Nature was in the house for a halftime performance. Legendary rap group The Sugarhill Gang was also in attendance.

NOTABLE: Charlotte now improves to 2-15 on the road this season. ... Charlotte has now won five in a row against the Raptors. ... The Raptors trailed 47-45 at halftime and are now 0-8 at home this season when trailing at the break. Toronto is shooting .214 (9 for 42) from beyond the arc over the last three games. ... Amir Johnson grabbed a season and game high 15 rebounds... Biyombo set a career high in rebounds (13) and blocks (7)

UP NEXT: Toronto plays next Wednesday vs. Detroit, Tuesday @ Houston and Wednesday @ New Orleans. The Bobcats are @ Indiana on Sunday, Wednesday vs. Indiana and @ Detroit on Wednesday.

• Bobcats: Henderson, Najera
• Raptors: Bargnani, Kleiza

• Bobcats: --
• Raptors: --

• Lead Changes: 12
• Times Tied: 8

• Arena: Air Canada Centre, Toronto, ON
• Officials: #57 Greg Willard, #45 Brian Forte, #59 Gary Zielinski
• Attendance: 15575
• Duration: 2:15