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Augustin helps Charlotte end slide

Nov 25, 2008 - 5:27 AM By Derek Smith PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina (Ticker) -- Rookie D.J. Augustin recorded his first double-double and led the hot-shooting Charlotte Bobcats to a 93-84 win over the Philadelphia 76ers Monday night at Time Warner Cable Arena.

Charlotte shot 55 percent (34-of-62) from the floor and topped the 90-point mark for the first time in five games. The Bobcats had been at the bottom of the league in both field goal percentage and scoring.

"I was just being aggressive and attacking coming off the screens," Augustin said. "I was looking for my teammates and they did a great job of getting open and knocking down shots."

The win snapped a four-game losing streak for the Bobcats.

"I'm just playing ball the way I know how to and trying to help us win," Augustin said. "It was great to get the win tonight."

Augustin scored 13 of his game-high 25 points in the pivotal third quarter while Raymond Felton added seven of his 22 points.

"With me and D.J. (Augustin) out there together we can both get in the lane," Felton said. "I can kick it out to him and I've got great confidence that he or anyone else can knock down the shots."

The 76ers were led by Elton Brand's 18 points and also got 17 from Andre Igoudala, but the team shot 39.5 percent from the floor.

"It was our defense," Philadelphia coach Maurice Cheeks said, "But not our offense. We would have loved to make more shots, but the way we guarded tonight allowed them to get more open shots. The difference was definitely our defense."

Samuel Dalembert put the Sixers ahead 53-47 with a dunk midway through the third, but the Bobcats soon answered.

Augustin scored six of the next 12 for Charlotte during a 12-2 run to give them a lead they would never relinquish. Felton capped the run for a 59-55 advantage.

"I think we clicked on all cylinders," Felton said. "We just have to find a way to do it every night. We did everything right tonight. If we can continue to do that every night, we'll win our share of games this year."

Augustin started the final period with a 3-pointer to extend the Bobcat lead to 71-64. The Sixers were never able to mount a real comeback and never got closer than 73-71.

Charlotte had back-to-back threes from Adam Morrison and Felton for its largest lead, 85-76.

The game was tied, 41-41 at half after seven lead changes and five ties.

In addition to the scoring from the tandem of Augustin and Felton, Charlotte got 11 points from Gerald Wallace and 10 off the bench from Morrison.