Box Score

 

DETROIT (86)

                          fg    ft    rb             
                   min   m-a   m-a   o-t   a  pf   tp
T Prince            20   6-7   0-0   0-0   3   0   13
D Milicic           30   2-8   5-6   0-3   1   2    9
B Wallace           22  6-12   0-0  3-10   0   1   12
C Billups           16   0-3   2-2   0-1   4   1    2
C Delfino           31   2-6   2-2   2-6   0   2    6
H Jenkins           20   2-8   2-2   1-2   0   0    6
A McDyess           21  3-10   0-0   2-5   0   2    6
E Campbell          22  3-10   3-5   1-3   0   5    9
L Hunter            16   2-5   0-0   0-0   6   1    4
R Dupree            23   5-6   3-6   1-5   1   3   13
C Arroyo            19   3-4   0-0   0-2   2   3    6
R Wallace          DNP  - SORE LEFT HAMSTRING                            
  
_____________________________________________________
TOTALS             240 34-79 17-23 10-37  17  20   86
_____________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.430, FT-.739. 3-Point Goals:
1-8, .125 (T Prince 1-1, C Billups 0-1, C 
Delfino 0-2, H Jenkins 0-2, L Hunter 0-1, C 
Arroyo 0-1). Team Rebounds: 12. Blocked 
Shots:8 (B Wallace 4, T Prince 2, E Campbell,
D Milicic). Turnovers:12 (C Arroyo 3, T 
Prince 3, R Dupree 2, E Campbell, C Billups, 
C Delfino, H Jenkins). Steals: 5 (C Arroyo, B
Wallace, C Delfino, D Milicic, H Jenkins).


CHARLOTTE (97)

                          fg    ft    rb             
                   min   m-a   m-a   o-t   a  pf   tp
G Wallace           28   3-7   5-6   1-4   2   5   11
E Okafor            41  6-16   4-8  4-19   1   4   16
M Ely               34  5-10   5-6   1-3   1   5   15
B Knight            34   5-9   4-6   0-5  13   2   14
K Bogans            39  7-12   2-2   0-1   0   2   17
M Allen             17   4-8   0-0   3-5   1   0    8
J Kapono            22   5-6   2-2   0-3   3   0   12
M Carroll            9   1-5   2-2   1-1   0   1    4
J Hart              16   0-2   0-0   0-2   3   3    0
C Alexander        DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                               
P Brezec           DNP  - SPRAINED RIGHT ANKLE                           
B Robinson Jr      DNP  - LEFT FOOT                                      
  
_____________________________________________________
TOTALS             240 36-75 24-32 10-43  24  22   97
_____________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.480, FT-.750. 3-Point Goals:
1-4, .250 (K Bogans 1-2, M Carroll 0-2). Team
Rebounds: 6. Blocked Shots:8 (G Wallace 2, M 
Allen 2, E Okafor 2, J Hart, M Ely). 
Turnovers:11 (B Knight 2, K Bogans 2, E 
Okafor 2, M Ely 2, J Hart, G Wallace, M 
Carroll). Steals: 9 (G Wallace 3, B Knight 2,
E Okafor 2, J Hart, J Kapono).

-------------------------------------------
DETROIT               25  24  21  16  -   86
CHARLOTTE             24  33  23  17  -   97
------------------------------------------- 

Technical fouls: None.
Flagrant fouls: None. A: 18,014. T: 2:09. 
Officials: Dick Bavetta, Eric Lewis, Ken 
Mauer.

Extended Box

 

DETROIT (86) AT CHARLOTTE (97)

DETROIT

                                               REBOUNDS                        
PLAYER           POS  MIN  FGM-FGA  FTM-FTA  OFF-DEF-TOT  AST  PF  ST  TO  PTS
======           ===  ===  =======  =======  ===========  ===  ==  ==  ==  ===
 
T PRINCE          F    20    6-7      0-0      0   0   0    3   0   0   3   13
D MILICIC         F    30    2-8      5-6      0   3   3    1   2   1   0    9
B WALLACE         C    22    6-12     0-0      3   7  10    0   1   1   0   12
C BILLUPS         G    16    0-3      2-2      0   1   1    4   1   0   1    2
C DELFINO         G    31    2-6      2-2      2   4   6    0   2   1   1    6
H JENKINS              20    2-8      2-2      1   1   2    0   0   1   1    6
A MCDYESS              21    3-10     0-0      2   3   5    0   2   0   0    6
E CAMPBELL             22    3-10     3-5      1   2   3    0   5   0   1    9
L HUNTER               16    2-5      0-0      0   0   0    6   1   0   0    4
R DUPREE               23    5-6      3-6      1   4   5    1   3   0   2   13
C ARROYO               19    3-4      0-0      0   2   2    2   3   1   3    6
R WALLACE             DNP  - SORE LEFT HAMSTRING                                      
  
TOTALS                240   34-79    17-23    10  27  37   17  20   5  12   86
                            (.430)  (.739)  TEAM REBS: 12 TOTAL TO: 13 (14 PTS)    

CHARLOTTE

                                               REBOUNDS                         
PLAYER           POS  MIN  FGM-FGA  FTM-FTA  OFF-DEF-TOT  AST  PF  ST  TO  PTS
======           ===  ===  =======  =======  ===========  ===  ==  ==  ==  ===
 
G WALLACE         F    28    3-7      5-6      1   3   4    2   5   3   1   11
E OKAFOR          F    41    6-16     4-8      4  15  19    1   4   2   2   16
M ELY             C    34    5-10     5-6      1   2   3    1   5   0   2   15
B KNIGHT          G    34    5-9      4-6      0   5   5   13   2   2   2   14
K BOGANS          G    39    7-12     2-2      0   1   1    0   2   0   2   17
M ALLEN                17    4-8      0-0      3   2   5    1   0   0   0    8
J KAPONO               22    5-6      2-2      0   3   3    3   0   1   0   12
M CARROLL               9    1-5      2-2      1   0   1    0   1   0   1    4
J HART                 16    0-2      0-0      0   2   2    3   3   1   1    0
C ALEXANDER           DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                                         
P BREZEC              DNP  - SPRAINED RIGHT ANKLE                                     
B ROBINSON JR         DNP  - LEFT FOOT                                                
  
TOTALS                240   36-75    24-32    10  33  43   24  22   9  11   97
                            (.480)  (.750)  TEAM REBS:  6 TOTAL TO: 13 (13 PTS)    
  
   DETROIT            25   24   21   16   -   86
   CHARLOTTE          24   33   23   17   -   97
  
BLOCKED SHOTS: DETROIT - B WALLACE 4, T PRINCE 2, E CAMPBELL, D MILICIC.
CHARLOTTE - G WALLACE 2, M ALLEN 2, E OKAFOR 2, J HART, M ELY.
3-PT. FIELD GOALS: DETROIT 1-8 (.125), T PRINCE 1-1, C BILLUPS 0-1,
C DELFINO 0-2, H JENKINS 0-2, L HUNTER 0-1, C ARROYO 0-1. CHARLOTTE 1-
4 (.250), K BOGANS 1-2, M CARROLL 0-2.
TECHNICAL FOULS: NONE.
FLAGRANT FOULS: NONE.
OFFICIALS: DICK BAVETTA, ERIC LEWIS, KEN MAUER.
A - 18,014. T - 2:09.

Game Story

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina (Ticker) -- The Charlotte Bobcats 
ended their inaugural season in style.

Rookie Emeka Okafor had 16 points and a career high-tying 19
rebounds as the Bobcats recorded a 97-86 victory over the
defending champion Detroit Pistons, who had their 11-game
winning streak snapped.

"We're just happy we got the win tonight and we were able to end
on a nice note," Okafor said.

Okafor, one of the leading candidates for Rookie of the Year,
notched his 47th double-double of the season for Charlotte,
which won two of three games from the defending NBA champions.
The Bobcats lost a 117-116 double-overtime decision to Detroit
in November and defeated the Pistons two days later.

"It was a fun season," Okafor said. "It was definitely an
experience.  I just really had fun with it."

This game was not extremely meaningful to Detroit (54-28), which
is locked into the second seed in the Eastern Conference
playoffs, but the Pistons nonetheless had to be impressed with
Charlotte's effort.

"They are a scrappy team," Detroit center Ben Wallace said.
"They were able to end the season on a good note with a win.
That's good for them."

"They played hard tonight," Pistons forward Tayshaun Prince
said.  "Everybody in the league knows that no matter what the
score is, Charlotte plays hard regardless."

The Pistons, who played without injured starters Rasheed Wallace
and Richard Hamilton, begin their quest for back-to-back
championships this weekend when they host Philadelphia in the
opener of a best-of-seven series.  Detroit is expected to have
its team at full health for the postseason.

"We had a good season considering everything that went on,"
Detroit's Chauncey Billups said. "I'm happy with how everything
ended up, but it's time now.  Everything means a lot now and I'm
just happy to be here healthy."

Charlotte (18-64) concluded its inaugural season with the
second-worst record, five games better than woeful Atlanta.  The
Bobcats also had impressive victories over playoff-bound
Denver, Sacramento, Minnesota and Houston (twice).

"It was a good win," Charlotte coach Bernie Bickerstaff said.
"I'm happy for those young men in that room.  Again, they seized
an opportunity that was given to them by an expansion team.
All they did was raise their level, their professionalism on and
off the court. The win, the fans, getting that lottery pick and
(darn it) we deserve something good to happen to us."

Charlotte will now have two lottery picks in the draft thanks to
Cleveland missing out on the playoffs.

"Two draft picks means a lot," Charlotte's Gerald Wallace said.
"It will really help us out."

Keith Bogans scored 17 points and Brevin Knight added 14 and 13
assists for the Bobcats, who shot 57 percent in the first half
in taking a 57-49 lead.

"This was a great opportunity for me," Bogans said.  "I think I
took advantage of it the best I could.  I played with a group of
great guys and with great coaches."

Prince scored 13 points and Ben Wallace added 12, 10 rebounds
and three blocks for the Pistons, who shot just 43 percent
(34-of-79).

"We definitely finished the way we wanted to," Prince said. "We
really wanted to get our bench guys some playing time because
we're definitely going to need them in the playoffs.  We're
definitely focused and prepared because we know whoever we play,
they're going to be ready for us."