Kris Humphries leads Nets to 83-74 win over Bobcats
New Jersey Nets' Kris Humphries (43) dribbles around Charlotte Bobcats' Eduardo Najera in the second half. (March 9, 2012) Credit: AP
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Kris Humphries had 20 points and 15 rebounds and the New Jersey Nets overcame an injury to Deron Williams to defeat the Charlotte Bobcats 83-74 Friday night.
Anthony Morrow scored all 17 of his points in the fourth quarter to help the Nets break open a tight game.
Williams, who scored a career-high and franchise-record 57 points on this same floor Sunday night against the Bobcats, left in the second quarter with a sore right calf and did not return. He finished with seven points and three assists.
Corey Maggette led the Bobcats with 19 points and Bismack Biyombo had 11 points and 11 rebounds.
After enduring a stretch where they lost eight straight games, the Nets have rebounded to win six of their past 11 games including victories against Chicago, New York, Dallas, the Los Angeles Clippers and Charlotte twice.
The Nets led by one entering the fourth quarter, but quickly built a 70-62 lead behind four consecutive jumpers by Morrow, who was 6 of 9 from the field in the fourth quarter after missing all five shots from the field in the first three quarters.
After the Bobcats closed within five points in the fourth quarter, Morrow hit a 3-pointer from the right wing over Gerald Henderson to put the game away with less than two minutes remaining.
With Williams out of the game, the Nets turned to Jordan Farmar to run the offense and he responded well, scoring 11 points and adding seven assists.
Sheldon Williams added six points and 13 rebounds for the Nets.
Neither team shot particularly well — the Nets shot 36 percent and the Bobcats 34 percent — in one of the lowest scoring games of the season for both teams.
Bobcats coach Paul Silas had his son, Stephen, an assistant coach, make all game decisions. Stephen had taken over earlier this week when his father was ejected and the Bobcats responded with a 22-1 run and defeated the Orlando Magic.
But the younger Silas couldn’t pull off another win for the Bobcats, who faded down the stretch and were outrebounded 56-43.
NOTES: Boris Diaw and Gana Diop were inactive for the Bobcats, meaning $15.9 million in salary cap room that did not see action. ... D.J. White was a late scratch for the Bobcats, replaced by Tyrus Thomas, who did not play in the previous game. Thomas had a technical foul in the first quarter and finished with six points.
