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Augustin, Bobcats end slide

Dec 17, 2008 - 6:09 AM By Derek Smith PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina (Ticker) -- D.J. Augustin scored 16 of his career-high 29 points in the fourth quarter and overtime as the Charlotte Bobcats posted a 110-101 victory over the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday night.

The win snapped Charlotte's seven-game losing streak and gave the team its first win since acquiring Boris Diaw, Raja Bell and Sean Singletary from Phoenix on December 10.

"It was a great win," Augustin said. "Hopefully this can start us on a winning streak. We're just going to go out there and play hard in our next game."

With the score tied at 100, Charlotte made 8-of-10 free throws in the final two minutes to outscore the Bulls 10-1 to end the game.

Augustin was mainly responsible for the game even getting to the extra session. He hit a reverse layup with less than a minute to play to pull Charlotte within a point. After a bucket from Ben Gordon, Augustin was fouled by Derrick Rose while attempting a 3-pointer and sank all three free throws to make it 94-94 with 19 seconds to play.

"It's always exciting to just be in the game," Augustin said. "It's kind of nerve racking to be up there with that kind of pressure on the line, but that's we play for."

It was an extremely questionable call and it appeared that Augustin flopped to the court after the shot was away despite there being no body contact between the two players.

"That's what the ref called," Augustin smiled. "I just go along with what the ref called."

Chicago coach Vinny Del Negro was still unsure after watching a replay in the team's dressing room after the game.

"I thought Derrick (Rose) was right on him," Del Negro said. "I didn't think he hit him. Augustin's legs came out to try and get the contact and stuff. You can't worry about it. You can't put yourself in those positions. No question it was a tough call against us, but you need to move on."

Emeka Okafor blocked Rose's layup attempt to end regulation and the Bobcats then pulled away in overtime.

"I was just keeping an eye on Derrick (Rose) and kind of figuring out when I could go (for the block)," Okafor said. "I saw him start to go for the shot and went over and nabbed it."

The Bobcats took the lead for the first time after Juwan Howard split a pair of free throws in the third quarter. Charlotte capped its 13-2 run with two more free throws from Raymond Felton for a 62-57 lead.

"It's been a bumpy, very very bumpy road," Felton said. "It feels good to get a win tonight. We played hard and did a lot of good things down the stretch. We were bound to get a win sooner or later. It was a good feeling to get it at home."

Charlotte built as big as a six-point lead, 67-61, in the third on a basket from Okafor and led by four heading into the fourth quarter.

Raja Bell was ejected by referee Eli Roe with 4:23 to play in the first quarter after being issued a technical foul as the Bulls took a 17-5 lead out of the gate.

Tyrus Thomas gave the Bulls its largest lead of the game, 21-9, late in the first quarter.

Chicago was led by Thomas with a season-best 22 points off the bench while Gordon paced all Chicago players with 25.

"For some reason we just didn't play as well in the second half as we did in the first half," Thomas said. "That was the reason why we lost tonight."

In addition to the ejection of Bell, Charlotte was without leading scorer Gerald Wallace after the death of his father earlier in the week.