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Jefferson, Bobcats down Sixers

Apr 13, 2014 - 3:44 AM Charlotte, NC (SportsNetwork.com) - Al Jefferson scored 29 points with 12 rebounds to lead the Charlotte Bobcats to a 111-105 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday.

Playing without Kemba Walker because of a sore groin, Charlotte relied on a collective effort to dispatch one of the NBA's worst teams. Gerald Henderson netted 14 points, while Luke Ridnour, Chris Douglas-Roberts and Cody Zeller each had 12 for the Bobcats.

Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Gary Neal added 10-apiece in the win.

"It's a win," said Jefferson. "It was one of those tough games in the NBA playing a team that didn't have anything to lose. We found a way to win so I guess that's the positive thing about it."

Charlotte remains one game behind Washington for the No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference with two games for each team remaining.

Michael Carter-Williams registered 23 points with eight assists and seven rebounds for Philadelphia, which lost for the fourth straight time. Thaddeus Young finished with 16 points and Henry Sims added 15 points and six rebounds in the setback.

"I thought that the energy in the first half was great," said Sixers coach Brett Brown. "We blinked a little in the third period and found a way to get back in it in the fourth after being down by the (16-point) margin."

Jefferson scored six points in the opening stages of the first quarter as the Bobcats grabbed a 12-5 lead early on. He finished the frame with 14 points and Charlotte led, 26-24, after two.

Philadelphia jumped out with eight straight points to begin the second. Elliot Williams followed a Casper Ware 3-pointer with a trey of his own before slamming one home to give the Sixers a 32-26 edge.

The game was knotted at 56-apiece late in the quarter when James Anderson hit a 3 with 3.7 seconds left to give the Sixers a 59-56 lead at the break.

A 10-2 Charlotte run early in the third gave the Bobcats a 66-63 lead. Later in the quarter, Charlotte scored nine straight points, with Douglas-Roberts' trey pushing the spread to 85-74 with 2:20 left.

The Bobcats led by nine after three quarters and quickly stretched the lead to 16, 99-83, after four makes at the free throw line from Zeller less than three minutes into the final period.

Philadelphia chipped away at the deficit and Young's jumper made it a five- point game at the four-minute mark. Young then nailed a stepback jumper with just under two minutes left to cut it to four, 105-101, but Henderson answered with a layup and Charlotte held on for the win.

Game Notes

Charlotte shot 39-for-72 (54.2 percent) from the field ... Philadelphia scored 20 points off of 15 Charlotte turnovers ... There were 12 lead changes and nine ties.