Bobcats 94, Celtics 91: Byron Mullens racked up 25 points and 18 rebounds and Ramon Sessions added 19 points, including the go-ahead jumper with 25.7 seconds left, as host Charlotte snapped Boston's seven-game win streak.
Kemba Walker added 18 points, six rebounds and six assists for the Bobcats and knocked down two free throws with 14 seconds left to help ice it. The Celtics had two chances to tie it on their final possession, but Paul Pierce and Avery Bradley each missed 3-pointers and Jeffery Taylor pulled down a rebound to seal it.
Jeff Green scored 18 points and Kevin Garnett added 16 points and 13 rebounds for the Celtics, who lost for the first time since losing point guard Rajon Rondo for the season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament.
The Bobcats led 77-72 after Sessions' jumper with 11:17 left in the game, but the Celtics reeled off a 10-0 run to regain control. Gerald Henderson's layup with 3:58 left put the Bobcats ahead 85-84, but Jason Terry answered with a 3-pointer at the other end and Boston pushed the margin to 91-87.
Sessions' fall-away jumper with 25.7 seconds left put Charlotte back in front, and the Bobcats scored the game's final seven points to snap a seven-game skid.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Celtics G Leandro Barbosa suffered a possible serious knee injury when he buckled to the floor without being touched late in the third quarter. Barbosa is scheduled to be re-evaluated Tuesday. ... Henderson scored 16 points, his sixth consecutive game in double figures. … Boston dropped to 6-7 on the second night of back-to-back games. … Charlotte snapped a four-game skid against Boston and won for just the third time in the last 13 meetings.
Boston | Charlotte | |
Jeff Green 18 | Scoring | Byron Mullens 25 |
Paul Pierce 8 | Assists | Kemba Walker 6 |
Kevin Garnett 13 | Rebounds | Byron Mullens 18 |
Jeff Green 7 | Free Throws Made | Ramon Sessions 6 |
Avery Bradley 3 | Steals | Kemba Walker 3 |
Avery Bradley 2 | Blocks | Bismack Biyombo 4 |
Team | Points | FG% | 3PM-3PA | FTM-FTA | Assists | Rebounds | Blocks | Steals | Turnovers |
Boston | 91 | 41.6 | 6-14 | 21-26 | 26 | 44 | 7 | 6 | 10 |
Charlotte | 94 | 42.9 | 8-18 | 20-30 | 22 | 47 | 7 | 6 | 10 |