Charlotte
Philip Maymin
Basketball News Services
Rookie Emeka Okafor had his best game yet with 22 points and 15 rebounds to lead the Bobcats past the defending world champions 91-89, who were missing only the suspended Ben Wallace, but the game was even easier and not as close as the final score suggested. Charlotte led by as many as 21 points before Detroit made a fourth-quarter surge that came up short. The best statistic of the game? The one that summarizes the fluidity of the Bobcats and the frustration of the Pistons? Brevin Knight's 19 assists. That's three more than the entire Pistons team.
With eight seconds left and Charlotte leading 90-84, Chauncey Billups got into the lane and converted on a layup to bring the Pistons to within four. On the other end, the Pistons immediately fouled Knight, who sank one of two free throws to make it a five point game. A Lindsey Hunter three-pointer at the buzzer made the score appear closer than it actually was.
Knight has a terrific all-around game. He owns the Pistons. His 19 assists are a season high (though one shy of his career record of 20 set in 1997) but are no surprise against Detroit: his previous season high was November 11, when he dished out 15 assists against the Pistons. Knight is averaging 9.8 assists a game this season, second in the league, and behind only Steve Nash's amazing 11.6 average.
Despite his 19 assists, Knight had only two turnovers. To put that in perspective, that's an unprecedented 9.5 assists-to-turnover ratio. Knight ranks third in the league in assists-per-turnover, with 4.92. He is behind last year's winner in that department Antonio Daniels and San Antonio's Brent Barry.
Knight also had a game-high three steals.
NEXT GAME
Since the Pistons-Pacers brawl, the Bobcats (2-8) have faced the Pistons twice, losing by one point in double overtime the first time and winning by two in regulation the second time. They now face the Pacers! The Bobcats are the only team in the NBA to face the two brawling clubs three times in a row after the incident. The Bobcats travel to Indiana for a tipoff at 8:00pm on Friday, November 26th. The game will be broadcast on C-SET and NBA League Pass.
TEAM NOTES
Scott Fowler ofThe Charlotte Observer notes: "DC, I thought you retired!" a fan screamed during a timeout. "I did," Coleman said.
INJURY UPDATE
Jamal Sampson(ankle) is close to being ready to play but is still on the injured list along withTheron Smith(right knee injury) and Keith Bogans(originally there pending team physical).
Perry A. Farrell ofThe Detroit Free Presswrites: The Pistons ended up on the wrong side of history Tuesday night at the Charlotte Coliseum.They became the first defending NBA champion to lose to an expansion team since the Buffalo Braves and Portland Trail Blazers beat the New York Knicks during the 1970-71 season. Interim head coach Gar Heard and Rasheed Wallace were ejected by referee Tony Brothers in the fourth quarter with the Pistons rallying from a 21-point deficit. They still made it close, but fell, 91-89. The Bobcats (2-8) ended a seven-game losing streak. The Pistons are 5-5.
Jenna Fryer of The Associated Press writes inThe Contra Costa Times: A cup was thrown and a headband went into the stands during the Detroit Pistons' latest loss. No brawl broke out this time - Charlotte's Emeka Okafor simply missed a trash can when he tossed his cup of water - and the fans kind of liked it when Detroit's Rasheed Wallace flung his headband into the seats.But the refs didn't approve of the headband toss, and called Wallace for a technical foul. When he argued, he got ejected from the Pistons' 91-89 loss to the Bobcats on Tuesday night and chalked it up to the aftereffects of the Pacers-Pistons brawl.
Scott Fowler ofThe Charlotte Observerwrites: In a bizarrely wonderful game for the NBA's newest franchise, the Charlotte Bobcats did two amazing things Tuesday night.First, they played such compelling basketball that they forced the court security issue to the sideline in the first quarter. Second, they beat the NBA's reigning champions, the Detroit Pistons, 91-89.
The Associated Press writes inThe South Florida Sun-Sentinel:Emeka Okafor had the best game of his young rookie season with 22 points and 15 rebounds to lead the Charlotte Bobcats to a 91-89 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday night... The Pistons had all their players back from suspensions stemming from their brawl last week with the Indiana Pacers except for Ben Wallace, who sat out the second of six games.
Sean O'Rourke ofThe New Britain Heraldwrites: UConn would need to buy 12,500 tickets for the game, but Webb thinks the Huskies could bring as many as 20,000 fans to Charlotte for the game. Webb noted that it’s easy to get to Charlotte from Hartford with as many as four direct flights daily and that UConn graduate Emeka Okafor is now playing with the Charlotte Bobcats.The Bobcats have home games scheduled the nights of Dec. 29 and Dec. 31.