CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Stephen Jackson scored 18 of his 29 points in the fourth quarter, including the go-ahead three-point play, and the Bobcats beat the Portland Trail Blazers 97-92 on Friday night to spoil Gerald Wallace’s return to Charlotte.
In his first game back from a hamstring injury, Jackson finished one point shy of the team record for points in a quarter held by Wallace as Charlotte snapped a six-game losing streak.
The last original member of the 7-year-old franchise and its only All-Star, Wallace was traded last month for role players and draft picks, a move owner Michael Jordan said would give them “flexibility” to rebuild the roster in the next few years.
Wallace had 13 points and nine rebounds, but fouled Jackson on his twisting layup to put Charlotte ahead to stay with 48 seconds left and later fouled out.
Wesley Matthews scored 20 points for the Blazers, but missed one of two free throws with 5.6 seconds left with Portland trailing by two. Patty Mills then missed two more free throws and Andre Miller also had a key turnover in the final minute as Portland’s four-game winning streak was snapped.
D.J. Augustin added 16 points, including two free throws with 4.9 seconds left to put Charlotte ahead 95-92.
The victory moved Charlotte into a tie with slumping Indiana for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference and snapped Portland’s seven-game road winning streak on an emotional night.
Wallace, who a day earlier said the trade was a “stab in the back,” had a quick answer before the game when asked what was the toughest part about returning.
“The fans. That’s the hardest thing, trying to control your emotions,” he said. “Concentrating on what you’ve got to do in front of the fans that you’ve called your own for the past seven years and been so supportive of you. It’s kind of hard to come back and play against them. That’s the one thing I’m worrying about.”
Before the national anthem, the Bobcats played a short video of highlight clips and a picture of Wallace in his All-Star uniform from 2010. It finished with the words “Thank You” before the team’s public address announcer did his signature introduction of “G-G-G-Gerald Wallace, with his last name echoing as the crowd stood and cheered and Wallace waved.
While one fan held a sign reading “We love you Gerald!” Jordan was not in his courtside seat for the tribute, arriving after the lineups were announced a few minutes later.
Wallace, who is not starting for Portland, created a stir when he walked to the scorer’s table midway through the first quarter with a black headband replacing the orange one he wore for years. The crowd again stood and applauded when he checked in. Jackson even clapped on the court.
Saying he was worried about “letting my emotions get the best of me,” Wallace got off to a slow start before hitting consecutive 3-pointers late in the third quarter as Portland took a 70-64 lead.
But then Jackson got going with a little preening early in the fourth quarter after a rough start following a three-game absence.
After rebounding his 12th missed shot in 15 attempts, Jackson muscled the ball in and was fouled. He then flexed his biceps and pointed to it.
That started a stretch of five straight makes, including two 3-pointers as Charlotte built a 86-77 lead with under 6 minutes to play before Portland rallied.
Notes: Wallace scored 19 points against in the third quarter against Sacramento last season. … Charlotte F Tyrus Thomas had 2 points and 6 rebounds in 24 minutes in his first game back from knee surgery. … C Joel Przybilla, acquired from Charlotte in the Wallace game, missed his second straight game with pain in his surgically repaired right knee and could miss another week. … Former Bobcats coach and GM Bernie Bickerstaff said he’s “having a ball” as an assistant under Blazers coach Nate McMillan. … A moment of silence was held before the game for the victims of the Japan earthquake and tsunami.
