Augustin, Henderson help Bobcats beat 76ers 100-97

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) - January 20, 2011

Avenging an overtime defeat to the 76ers four days earlier, the Bobcats won their second straight game the same night they found out forward Tyrus Thomas would be out up two months with a knee injury.

Thaddeus Young scored 15 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter for the Sixers, who rallied from an eight-point deficit to take the lead before Henderson hit three consecutive jumpers.

Andre Iguodala added 19 points, but missed a free throw and a jumper in the final minute in Philadelphia's second straight loss. After Augustin's 25-point first half, the Bobcats turned to an unlikely offensive weapon to thwart the Sixers' comeback.

Henderson, a bit player under former coach Larry Brown, has become part of the rotation but hardly known for his shooting until it mattered against the Sixers. He hit three consecutive jumpers on the same curl play from the right wing in the final 1:40. The last came with 26 seconds left to put Charlotte ahead 96-93.

Iguodala missed a fadeaway on the next possession before Augustin put it away at the foul line.

Nazr Mohammed added 15 points and seven rebounds as Charlotte overcame bad shooting nights by Stephen Jackson and Gerald Wallace on a night of jolting injury news.

After Thomas complained of a swollen left knee following the morning shootaround, an MRI taken during the game revealed a torn meniscus that will require surgery.

Thomas, averaging 11.1 points and 5.8 rebounds, is expected to miss up to eight weeks in a big blow to Charlotte's depth in the frontcourt.

Still, the Bobcats were able to get their first win in three tries this season against Philadelphia, a team they're contending with for one of the final two playoff spots in the Eastern Conference.

The Bobcats led 84-76 on Shaun Livingston's two free throws with 8:31 left before the Sixers slowly got closer. With Charlotte struggling to score, Philadelphia took an 89-88 lead with 3:25 left after consecutive tip-ins by Young.

The lead changed hands twice before Henderson got hot. He also caught a break when Iguodala hit only two of three free throws when he fouled him shooting a 3-pointer in the final minute to preserve Charlotte's lead.

In the beginning, nobody could keep up with Augustin.

After hitting his first three 3-pointers, he started driving, and it didn't matter if Jrue Holiday, Louis Williams or Evan Turner tried to guard him.

Augustin hit 10 of 11 shots in the first half, including a steal and ensuing three-point play over Williams to put Charlotte ahead 56-50 at halftime.

After Augustin hit a fadeaway to start the third quarter, he didn't hit another field goal until icing the game at the line. It was another difficult loss for the Sixers a night after a heartbreaking and improbable defeat in Orlando in which Philadelphia allowed a four-point play at the end of regulation to tie it and another in overtime.

NOTES: With DeSagana Diop (Achilles' tendon) already lost for the season, the Bobcats are left with 13 healthy players while Thomas is sidelined. ... Ex-Sixers forward and Charlotte native Bobby Jones attended the game. ... Sixers F Andres Nocioni (broken finger) missed his third straight game. ... Bobcats coach Paul Silas said they're still running most of Brown's plays. "They work. The players know them," Silas said. "We don't have to have them learn a new offense at this point."

Copyright © 2024 WPVI-TV. All Rights Reserved.