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Nets, Bobcats set for showdown in Brooklyn

Feb 12, 2014 - 3:30 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - The Brooklyn Nets are inching closer to that .500 mark and will try to take another step forward Wednesday night when they host the Charlotte Bobcats at the Barclays Center.

The Nets have taken three of their last four and all three victories have come at home. They play in Chicago on Thursday, then, after the All-Star break, go west for five consecutive games.

On Sunday, rookie Mason Plumlee tallied a career-high 22 points and the Nets put together a big first half that set the tone for a 93-81 win over the New Orleans Pelicans.

"He brings youth, athletic ability and you can see the hard work he's put in," said Nets head coach Jason Kidd of Plumlee's performance.

Plumlee made good on 8-of-10 shot attempts and matched a personal best with 13 boards to lead a strong effort from the Brooklyn bench. Fellow reserve Mirza Teletovic also posted a double-double of 13 points and 11 rebounds, with Alan Anderson contributing 13 points to help the Nets shake off a 16-point loss at Detroit on Friday.

None of the Nets starters scored in double figures, but 11 of the 12 Brooklyn players who saw action, scored at least a point.

The Nets shot 53 percent overall as a team and stifled the Pelicans over the first two quarters to build a commanding 51-28 lead at the break.

The Bobcats alternated wins and losses over their last five, but the most recent decision was a resounding, 25-point home victory over the Dallas Mavericks Tuesday.

It was only the second win in team history against the Mavs.

Al Jefferson racked up 30 points and Anthony Tolliver added a season-high 22 in the Bobcats' 114-89 drubbing of the Mavericks at Time Warner Cable Arena.

Jefferson went 14-of-23 from the field and Tolliver knocked down 5-of-10 attempts from 3-point range for a Bobcats team that shot an impressive 54.9.

Gerald Henderson finished with 15 points on a 7-of-11 success rate for Charlotte, with Josh McRoberts contributing a career-best 13 assists to the rout. Bismack Biyombo netted 10 in the win.

"The defense had to pick and choose its poison," said Jefferson. "They could play me one-on-one. If they didn't, then Josh had threes or Kemba (Walker) was attacking."

Walker finished with seven points before exiting in the fourth quarter with a sore Achilles tendon.

The Bobcats beat the Nets by four in Charlotte on Nov. 20 to snap a seven-game series losing streak. The Nets have won four in a row as the host in this series.