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Sunday, Apr. 16 12:30pm ET
Charlotte pressuring 76ers for home-court edge | |||||
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 GAME FLOW
BOSTON (AP) -- The Charlotte Hornets' season-ending surge could give them home-court advantage in the playoffs. Not that coach Paul Silas would worry if they fell short. The Hornets (47-33) beat the Boston Celtics 105-102 Sunday and trail fourth-place Philadelphia (48-32) by one game for the last Eastern Conference playoff spot with the home-court edge. If the 76ers hold that spot in their last two games, they would have the extra home game against the Hornets. If the Hornets overtake Philadelphia, they would get that edge. If it is an edge. Charlotte is 2-0 this season in Philadelphia and 1-1 at home against the 76ers. "It's not as critical at this point that we get the fourth spot since we have secured the fifth spot," Silas said. "We have beaten everybody in the conference, so that is confidence in itself," said Eddie Jones, who led Charlotte with 25 points. The Hornets won for the 12th time in 14 games even though Boston scored the first 10 points and the last five and nearly tied the game. But Paul Pierce's 3-pointer bounced off the back of the rim with 3.2 seconds left and Antoine Walker's followup 3-pointer missed at the buzzer. "I thought it looked real good," Pierce said of his shot. "We had little lapses but still had a chance to tie it up and win." Instead, the Celtics lost for the first time in four games after losing 10 in a row. "They showed a remarkable attitude to make this a close game," Boston coach Rick Pitino said, "but I don't think that's an indication of getting over the hump." Charlotte missed its first six shots but led 55-46 at halftime and 83-73 after three quarters. The Celtics started their fourth-quarter rally with a three-point play by Eric Williams, who had 20 points, that cut the lead to 105-100 with 1:10 left. Then Walker, who led Boston with 21 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds, hit a layup with 42 seconds remaining. But he and Pierce missed in the final four seconds. "I rushed it," Walker said. "They have a lot of good players (but) we fought them to the end." The Hornets got balanced scoring and the bench made a major contribution, scoring all 31 of their points in the second quarter. Substitutes Eddie Robinson scored 16 and Chucky Brown had 12. "What we're designing right now is to play as many people as possible, especially in the fourth quarter," Silas said. "The playoffs are a lot more intense, and (the substitutes) really haven't been in that situation as much." The Hornets went 3:58 into the game before getting their first basket on a dunk by Elden Campbell. Then they missed three in a row. But a 20-footer by Jones made it 12-4 and Charlotte kept rolling. The Celtics led 22-17 but went scoreless in the last minute of the first quarter as the Hornets went on a 7-0 run on a jumper by Derrick Coleman, a layup by David Wesley and a 3-pointer by Coleman for a 24-22 lead after one quarter. Boston reclaimed the lead 27-26 on a dunk by Danny Fortson but never led after Robinson dunked with 9:25 left in the half. That started a 22-8 run in which Robinson, Brown and Baron Davis had six points each and Brad Miller added four. That made it 48-35. Game notesThe Hornets are 11-3 in their last 14 games against the Celtics. ... Boston entered the game with a 25-14 home record, tying its best mark at the FleetCenter in its five seasons there. ... Charlotte's Anthony Mason had 10 points and 12 rebounds, his seventh double-double in 14 games. ... Current Celtics point guard Kenny Anderson outscored former Celtics point guard Wesley 12-8. | ALSO SEE NBA Scoreboard Charlotte Clubhouse Boston Clubhouse RECAPS Miami 95 Orlando 84
Charlotte 105
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