Final
Bobcats-Kings Preview
Jan 30, 2010 - 7:30 AM By MATT BECKER STATS Senior WriterCharlotte (23-22) at Sacramento (16-29), 10:00 p.m. EDT
Before embarking on a season-high six-game road trip earlier this week, the Charlotte Bobcats had recorded only three victories away from home. They appear to have a good chance of equaling that mark four games into their trek.
The Bobcats will try to do so Saturday night against the slumping Sacramento Kings, who hope to avoid losing for the 14th time in 16 games.
After missing the playoffs each of its first five seasons, Charlotte (23-22) is tied with Chicago for seventh in the Eastern Conference.
The Bobcats are in this position thanks to an impressive 18-5 home record. While they haven't been remotely close to matching that success on the road, they're showing signs of turning things around.
With a 104-93 loss to Denver on Monday in the opener of their swing, the Bobcats dropped to 3-17 away from Charlotte. They've since responded with Tuesday's 114-109 overtime victory at Phoenix, and a 121-110 win at Golden State on Friday with Stephen Jackson scoring 30 in each.
Jackson, who has never scored at least 30 in three consecutive games during his 10-year NBA career, was making his first appearance at Oracle Arena since the November trade that sent him and Acie Law to Charlotte for Raja Bell and Vladimir Radmanovic.
That deal has been decidedly lopsided in the Bobcats' favor so far as Charlotte has gone 20-16 while improving its scoring average by more 16.0 points - up from 82.4.
Gerald Wallace, who on Thursday became the first player in the franchise's brief history to be named to the All-Star team, has also been a big part of the Bobcats' success. He finished with 30 points and 13 rebounds against the Warriors for his 23rd double-double, already a career high.
Wallace led Charlotte with 28 points in a 105-103 win over Sacramento (16-29) on Jan. 18.
The Bobcats led by 24 in the third quarter, but the Kings stormed back, pulling within one with 4:51 left in the fourth quarter. Sacramento rookie Tyreke Evans led the comeback, scoring 14 of his career-high 34 points in the fourth, but Charlotte held on for its third straight victory in the series.
In their last meeting at Sacramento on Feb. 25, Wallace scored 27 in a 98-91 win, the franchise's first victory in five trips to Arco Arena.
The Kings opened this season in stellar fashion in Sacramento, winning 10 of their first 13, but have gone 3-6 there since.
"This is a game we should win, but again (the Kings) play well at home," Jackson said.
Sacramento is coming off Friday's 101-94 loss at Utah, which was without All-Star Deron Williams and forward Carlos Boozer.
The Kings have lost 13 of 15 with the two victories coming against teams missing their top scorer. They defeated a Golden State team playing without Monta Ellis 99-96 on Tuesday for their first victory since Jan. 9, a 102-100 triumph over Denver minus Carmelo Anthony.
Kevin Martin led Sacramento with 33 points against the Jazz, and Evans had 25 points and six assists. The other three starters, though, combined for just 13 points on 6 of 15 shooting.
"When we broke down offensively and kind of came to a standstill, they just kept scoring and they got the lead and we were never able to fight back into the game," Kings coach Paul Westphal said.
- NBA
CHARLOTTE 103
SACRAMENTO 96 FINAL
Jan 31 12:33 AM - NBA
CHARLOTTE 90
SACRAMENTO 67 END, 3RD QTR
Jan 30 11:55 PM - NBA
CHARLOTTE 56
SACRAMENTO 54 HALFTIME
Jan 30 11:08 PM - NBA
CHARLOTTE 29
SACRAMENTO 33 END, 1ST QTR
Jan 30 10:37 PM
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