Nets at Bobcats
THE STORY: The New Jersey Nets have struggled to maintain any sort of forward momentum over the last few weeks. After stumbling at the Boston Celtics on Friday, the Nets have a chance to bounce back when they visit a team that has been the good luck charm for most of the NBA – the Charlotte Bobcats. Just when New Jersey has gotten Brook Lopez going, Deron Williams seems to be in a slump. The Bobcats have been in a slump all season, with their latest losing streak reaching four games at San Antonio on Friday.
TV: 6 p.m. ET, YES (New Jersey), SSO (Charlotte)
ABOUT THE NETS (11-26): New Jersey has traded wins and losses in its last six games, and had a three-game road winning streak come to an end with Friday’s 107-94 loss at Boston. Overall, the Nets have dropped 11 of their last 14 games to fall into last place in the Atlantic Division. Lopez, who came within one point of his career high with a 38-point outburst at Dallas on Wednesday, followed that up with 28 points against the Celtics. But Williams, who had averaged 28.3 over the previous seven games, has managed just 12.0 in the last two. The Nets took the first meeting with Charlotte 94-89 on Jan. 22, behind 19 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds from Williams.
ABOUT THE BOBCATS (4-30): Charlotte lost point guard D. J. Augustin in the first quarter of the Jan. 22 meeting to a toe injury. The injury caused Augustin to miss the next 11 games. Since his return, the 24-year-old is shooting just 31 percent from the floor. The Bobcats got little production from their guards on Friday, as Augustin, Gerald Henderson and Kemba Walker combined to shoot 9 for 32 in a 102-72 loss. The Bobcats have lost by an average of 23.5 points during their four-game slide.
BUZZER BEATERS:
1. Williams has averaged 16.3 points and 8.0 assists in 10 career games against Charlotte.
2. New Jersey won its last trip to Charlotte 94-89 on Feb. 11, 2011.
3. Augustin has shot 38.4 percent in 11 career games against the Nets.