Bobcats surprise Celtics 114-106 in OT

[January 07, 2009]  CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -- Raymond Felton scored 25 points, rookie D.J. Augustin added 11 of his 20 points in overtime, and the Charlotte Bobcats stunned Boston 114-106 on Tuesday to continue the Celtics' sudden slide.

Beaten by their surprising nemesis for the second time in two seasons, the defending champions came undone in OT, and they've quickly gone from unbeatable to vulnerable.

After a team-record, 19-game winning streak and an NBA-record 27-2 start, the Celtics lost for the fifth time in seven games, leaving battered, bruised and angry by Larry Brown's upstart Bobcats.

Paul Pierce scored 28 points, but had a key turnover in overtime. Ray Allen scored 20 points on 7-of-20 shooting for the Celtics.

The Bobcats, who also got 23 points from Gerald Wallace and 13 points and 17 rebounds from Emeka Okafor, were able to neutralize Kevin Garnett.

Playing despite a sore calf, Garnett had 14 points and 13 rebounds, but shot only 7-of-18 and was called for traveling in OT.

Augustin's 3-pointer and two free throws came in a 7-0 run that put Charlotte ahead 108-101. Pierce later dribbled the ball out of bounds, giving a slight shove to Augustin to end Boston's chances in a physical game that saw the Celtics unable to close out one of the Eastern Conference's worst teams.

The Bobcats, despite entering with a 44-72 record over the past two seasons, have always played the Celtics tough. Charlotte won in Boston last season, lost on Allen's buzzer-beater in another game, and dropped a close game in the first meeting this season in November.

Tuesday was another thriller, as the Celtics rallied from a 10-point, third-quarter deficit, took 79-72 lead in the fourth quarter, then allowed the Bobcats to get back in it.

Felton's fadeaway with 38 seconds left in regulation put Charlotte ahead 96-95. After Allen missed a jumper, Felton was fouled and hit only one free throw with 20 seconds left.

Pierce then dribbled off a screen and drilled a turnaround jumper with 3.4 seconds left to tie it. Felton missed a straightaway 20-footer at the buzzer to force OT.

But the Bobcats dominated the extra period, despite playing again without Raja Bell (groin), getting five straight defensive stops to pick up one of Browns' biggest wins since taking over his record ninth NBA team.

The Celtics were without reserve guard Tony Allen, who injured his right ankle in Sunday's loss to New York, and again looked out of sync in a bruising game.

As Bobcats part-owner Michael Jordan sat courtside and spent much of the game barking at referee Dick Bavetta, there were angry words and blood on the court.

Charlotte's Juwan Howard picked up a flagrant foul for leveling Glen Davis early in the fourth quarter, leading Davis to play with cotton in one nostril.

Technicals were called on Boston coach Doc Rivers and Felton, after he confronted Davis following a hard foul away from the ball.

Notes: Brown said Bell would also miss Wednesday's game in Cleveland, but could return Friday in Philadelphia. ... Bobcats F Adam Morrison had 13 points in his best game in a month. ... The Bobcats made 31 of 34 free throws, with Augustin and Wallace combining to make all 20 attempts. ... Rivers reminisced before the game about playing for Brown and his complex offensive system in the 1991-92 season with the Clippers. "The attention to detail. ... It opened my eyes to a lot of stuff," said Rivers, who acknowledged he now makes the same demands on his players about spacing and setting proper screens. 

[Associated Press; By MIKE CRANSTON]

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