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Bobcats down Bucks to keep pace in playoff chase

Mar 29, 2011 - 4:26 AM Charlotte, NC (Sports Network) - Gerald Henderson scored 16 points, including Charlotte's last seven, as the Bobcats came back to defeat the Milwaukee Bucks, 87-86, in a pivotal playoff position matchup.

Stephen Jackson chipped in 18 points for the Bobcats, who have won three in a row to keep them a game out of eighth place in the Eastern Conference following Indiana's win over Boston on Monday. Boris Diaw, D.J. Augustin and Matt Carroll each tallied 10 points in the win.

The Bobcats used a fourth quarter comeback without guards Augustin and Shaun Livingston. Both suffered second half injuries as Augustin suffered a left ankle sprain while Livingston left with a bruised lower back following a hard foul from Bucks forward Drew Gooden.

"You know, we've been growing all season," Jackson said. "We know how to deal with adversity. The game looked over, but we kept fighting and we found a way to win."

Andrew Bogut and Brandon Jennings each had 26 points and nine rebounds for the Bucks, who moved three games back of the eighth and final playoff spot in the East. Luc Mbah a Moute chipped in 11 points in the loss.

Milwaukee All-Star guard Michael Redd made his season debut after undergoing knee surgery more than a year ago, dishing out four assists in 15-plus minutes. Redd appeared in just 18 games during the 2009-10 campaign and 51 games in the previous two seasons.

With Augustin and Livingston both out for the fourth quarter, third point guard Garrett Temple had to orchestrate the comeback.

Temple drained a three-pointer to pull within four with 5 1/2 minutes left. He then fed Henderson for a layin to keep it a four-point game. That lay up sparked his seven point-stretch to finish the game.

He hit a free throw with 2:08 remaining to make it a one-possession game, 86-83, and then buried a long jumper under a minute to play to cut it to a one-point game. Henderson knocked down a similar shot during the team's next possession to take a 87-86 lead for good with 22.1 seconds left to play.

On the other end of the court, Henderson came up big again grabbing a loose ball after Jennings' missed shot. But on the ensuing inbounds pass the Bobcats couldn't get a clean pass off which allowed Jennings to steal the ball and get a shot off.

However, it fell short and after a scramble for the ball the Bucks got off two more shots in the final five seconds, but all of them missed the mark to seal the much needed win of the home team.

"This was a game we should have won," Jennings said. "It was a must-win game. We had chances down the end and we just didn't make the plays."

Bogut started out hot, scoring 18 points in the first quarter, but the Bucks trailed 27-26 after 12 minutes of play.

The Bucks center cooled off in the second quarter, scoring just two points. Meanwhile, Charlotte pushed its lead to as much as eight, but Milwaukee edge its way back to take a 46-45 lead at the half following Sanders' dunk with nine seconds remaining.

A 13-2 run during the third quarter turned a six-point deficit into a five point lead for Milwaukee. Jennings led the way with six points during the burst as the Bucks took a 72-65 lead into the final quarter.

Game Notes

The Bucks won the previous two meetings this season and came into the game winning nine of the past 12 between the two clubs...Diaw and Augustin each had eight assists for the Bobcats, who shot 48.5 percent from the field.