Nets 97, Bobcats 87
Deron Williams narrowly missed a triple-double with 19 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds as the New Jersey Nets cruised past the visiting Charlotte Bobcats, 97-87, on Sunday.
Rookie MarShon Brooks scored 20 points and Anthony Morrow had 19 off the bench for the Nets, who won for the second time in three games.
New Jersey had been struggling from the field, entering the game ranked 28th in the NBA with a 41.1 team field goal percentage. But the Nets were on fire in the first half, scoring 28 points in the first quarter and 30 in the second to go into the break with a 58-42 edge.
New Jersey cooled off in the second half but still ended up shooting 44 percent in the contest.
The Bobcats lost point guard D.J. Augustin to an injury in the first quarter and got a total of eight points from the three starters not named Kemba Walker or Gerald Henderson. Those two combined for 31 despite sitting out most of the fourth quarter.
Charlotte’s bench made it interesting late, cutting the gap to single digits with under a minute left, but never got close enough to challenge for the lead.