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Okafor propels Bobcats past Clippers

Feb 10, 2009 - 5:42 AM CHARLOTTE, North Carolina (Ticker) -- Emeka Okafor recorded a team-high 19 points and 16 rebounds as the Charlotte Bobcats used a pronounced fourth-quarter surge to post a 94-73 triumph over the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday.

Rookie D.J. Augustin had 17 points and Boris Diaw and Raymond Felton added 15 points apiece for Charlotte, which outscored Los Angeles, 29-12, in the fourth quarter.

Playing in his first contest for the Bobcats, Vladimir Radmanovic had four 3-pointers in the fourth quarter and finished with 13 points as Charlotte snapped a five-game losing streak.

Radmanovic came over from the Los Angeles Lakers in a deal which sent underachieving former first-round pick Adam Morrison and reserve guard Shannon Brown to the West Coast.

"It was so funny trying to talk him through (plays)," Charlotte coach Larry Brown said. "We invented plays, but I was really happy that he struggled early and then had the confidence to go back and knock down some shots, but it gives us another guy who has length and athleticism."

"After not playing for a while (for the Lakers), I kind of lost the rhythm a little bit," Radmanovic said. "It took me a bit (tonight) to get back into shooting rhythm. The second half was a lot better and I had some open shots that I made."

Zach Randolph had a game-high 20 points and 10 rebounds and rookie Eric Gordon added 17 for Los Angeles, which was thwarted in its attempt for its second three-game winning streak of the season.

"The last game of a trip, I've been around a long time, I know how these games can be tough," Clippers center Marcus Camby said. "Especially right before the All-Star break, you tend to lose a little focus. Your mind is elsewhere."

"We didn't attack and play at the level we've been playing at the last two games," Clippers guard Ricky Davis said. "I thought our offense got complacent and stagnant."

Prior to Monday's contest, the Clippers have exploded over the last two games, putting 126 and 121 points on the board in wins over Memphis and Atlanta, respectively.

In this one, however, Los Angeles mustered little resistance in the finale of a seven-game road trip.

"It was a real good win, especially in lieu of the fact that they can really score," Brown said. "I watched their last two games against Memphis and Atlanta and they were sensational offensively.

"I thought in the second half we defended and we didn't give up any second shots. We made them shoot jump shots for the most part and that was real encouraging. We gave them a bunch of empty possessions and we got out and ran and executed pretty well and made shots."