Stephen Jackson defied two Atlanta defenders to drain a last--second jump shot on Saturday to lift Charlotte to an 88-86 victory over the Hawks.
Jackson, a former Hawk, scored 32 points, including the game--winner over Maurice Evans and Al Horford.
Jackson leaped onto the courtside scorer’s table before departing the court shouting: “That’s what I do.”
Photo: AFP
Jackson said he relishes the responsibility of taking the shot with the game on the line.
“I want it every game at the end,” Jackson said. “If you know anything about me, I want the ball at the end. I don’t mind taking the shot.”
Shaun Livingston scored a -season-high 22 points, while Gerald Wallace added 16 points with 13 rebounds for the Bobcats, who trailed by 22 points in the first quarter and by 18 in the third.
Atlanta were just one for 17 from the field in the first nine minutes of the final quarter, before Josh Smith’s basket and free throw knotted the score at 82-82. Smith finished with 28 points for the Hawks.
After missing two games with a lower back contusion, Atlanta All-Star center Horford wore a brace, but still delivered 16 points and 10 rebounds.
A jump shot by Jackson put the Bobcats up 86-84 with 1 minute, 4 seconds to play.
Horford tied the game again, but after an Atlanta timeout the Hawks’ Joe Johnson missed a jump shot and Charlotte got the ball.
The Bobcats called a timeout with 5.6 seconds to play to set up Jackson’s winner.
“Before we even sat down for the timeout, drawing up the play, everybody was telling me, ‘Take us home. Take us home.’” Jackson said. “Thank God it went down.”
“He made a tough shot,” Smith said. “You have to tip your hat to Stephen Jackson.”
Knicks 105, Nets 95
In Newark, New Jersey, Wilson Chandler replaced the injured Amare Stoudemire and scored 21 points as the New York Knicks beat the New Jersey Nets.
Reserve Toney Douglas added 19 points, while Landry Fields had 14, making three big three-pointers in the fourth quarter as the Knicks won for just the second time in six games and improved to 27-26.
Stoudemire missed his first game of the season with a sprained right big toe, but the Knicks overcame their All-Star’s absence by making 16 3-pointers, including Chandler’s that gave them the lead for good with 4 minutes, 8 seconds left.
Devin Harris scored 22 for the Nets, who were bidding for their first three-game winning streak in two years.
Mavericks 106, Rockets 102
In Houston, Texas, Peja Stojakovic scored 22 points and moved to fourth place in career three--pointers as the Dallas Mavericks beat the Houston Rockets.
Stojakovic, who was one for 11 from three-point range in his previous three games, went four for six from beyond the arc. He has 1,723 career threes and trails only teammate Jason Kidd (1,756), Reggie Miller (2,560) and Ray Allen (2,562) in NBA history. Allen passed Miller for the lead on Thursday.
Dirk Nowitzki also scored 22 points, while Shawn Marion had 14 points and nine rebounds for the Mavericks, who have won 12 of their last 14.
Kyle Lowry scored 26 points and Kevin Martin added 17 for the Rockets.
In Saturday’s other action, it was:
‧ Bulls 97, Hornets 88
‧ Spurs 118, Wizards 94
‧ 76ers 107, Timberwolves 87
‧ Pacers 103, Bucks 97
‧ Thunder 99, Kings 97
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