Jazz get another road comeback win
Deron Williams hit a running hook shot with 0.8 seconds left to cap a fourth-quarter rally and the Utah Jazz beat the Charlotte Bobcats 96-95 on Saturday night.
Williams finished with 17 points and nine assists for the Jazz, who overcame a 16-point halftime deficit to win their fifth straight game and fourth on the road. Al Jefferson had 19 points, Paul Millsap 17 and Andrei Kirilenko 12 for Utah, which had to overcome double-digit deficits in winning its previous three road games. Utah's come-from-behind streak began on Nov. 9 when it trailed the Los Angeles Clippers by 16 points before rallying for a 109-107 double-overtime victory at home.
Then on this road trip - four games in five days - the Jazz rallied from 22 points down to beat Miami 116-114 in overtime Tuesday, trailed Orlando by 18 points before winning 104-94 on Wednesday, and was down 11 to Atlanta in the fourth quarter before rallying for a 90-86 win Friday.
Nazr Mohammed had 22 points and 20 rebounds for the Bobcats, who led by as many as 19 points in the first quarter and held a 73-63 margin going into the final period. Stephen Jackson added 24 points, D.J. Augustin had 12 points and 10 assists, Gerald Wallace had 13 points and Boris Diaw 12 for Charlotte, which remained winless at home in four games.
Down 49-33 at the half, the Jazz whittled away at the Bobcats' lead - pulling within 10 points by the end of the third quarter. Utah then took its first lead late in the fourth quarter, going up 92-91 on Jefferson's three-point play with 2:30 remaining.
Jackson hit a pair of free throws 12 seconds later to put Charlotte back in the lead, and Mohammed's layup with 59.8 seconds left put the Bobcats up 95-92.
But Jefferson dropped in a layup with 41 seconds left to pull Utah within one point. Augustin then turned the ball over with 24 seconds remaining while trying to drive for a layup, setting up Williams' game winner.
Notes: Mohammed recorded the second 20-20 game of his career, both coming with the Bobcats. He had 21 points and 20 rebounds on Feb. 10 against Minnesota. ... Bobcats forward Tyrus Thomas missed Saturday night's game because of a death in his family. Brown said that he expects Thomas back for Monday night's home game against the Timberwolves. ... Brown also sat guard Gerald Henderson because of soreness in his left knee. Henderson did not practice Thursday and he struggled to run in the Bobcats' last two games.