Bobcats Storm Past Pistons In 4th, Win 116-106
NOAH TRISTER, AP Sports Writer
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP) — Kemba Walker scored 34 points and Al Jefferson led a fourth-quarter rally by the Charlotte Bobcats, who overtook the Detroit Pistons 116-106 on Friday night after trailing by as many as 20.
Charlotte was down 14 after three quarters before dominating the fourth. Jefferson scored 13 points during a decisive 16-3 run.
Brandon Jennings had 26 points for Detroit, which rallied from a 21-point deficit to beat Boston on Wednesday but blew a big lead two nights later.
Down 89-75, the Bobcats scored the first nine points of the fourth quarter to get back in the game. Jefferson scored 15 of his 24 points in the fourth.
Charlotte scored 72 points in the second half and outscored the Pistons 41-17 in the final quarter.
Gerald Henderson scored 22 points for Charlotte, but the fourth quarter belonged to Jefferson. With Detroit up 99-94, the 6-foot-10 center scored six straight points for the game's first and only lead change.
Then Walker added a 3-pointer from in front of the Detroit bench to make it 103-99.
The Pistons lost despite shooting 12 of 23 from 3-point range.
Charlotte won even though forward Jeff Taylor played less than a minute before going down with a right Achilles injury. Taylor left the game after only 37 seconds. He stayed down for a while after the injury to his right leg and could be heard groaning in pain before he was eventually helped off the court.
Taylor is expected to undergo further testing Saturday.
Josh Smith scored 18 points for the Detroit, and Josh Harrellson scored all 12 of his in the second quarter.
The 6-foot-10 Harrellson looked like he was auditioning for a blooper video when he missed three straight layups during one sequence in the final minute of the first quarter. Those ended up being his only misses of the first half.
Kyle Singler and Chauncey Billups made 3-pointers to start the second quarter, giving the Pistons a 37-22 lead. Harrellson added a 16-footer moments later, the first of five consecutive shot he would make in the quarter, including two 3-pointers.
Detroit led 52-32 after an alley-oop from Will Bynum to Andre Drummond, but there was enough time for the Bobcats not only to win — but in convincing fashion.
NOTES: Detroit G Rodney Stuckey (sore right shoulder) did not play. ... The Bobcats are still without F Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (broken left hand). ... Charlotte went 25 of 28 on free throws.
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