QUARTER-BY-QUARTER ANALYSIS
First quarter: Emeka Okafor, whose status was uncertain until just before the start because of an ankle sprain suffered two nights earlier, started the game for the Bobcats and was instrumental in keeping them in a tight game throughout the period. Vince Carter opened the scoring with a three-pointer and went on to a 15-point quarter. His work enabled the Nets to stay on top through most of the first, with slim leads of up to four points. But Okafor closed with a free throw, steal and fast break layup as Charlotte forged a 19-19 tie in a low-scoring, poor-shooting quarter for both teams.

Second quarter: Keith Bogans, who missed Charlotte’s three previous games with back spasms, made his return appearance in the second period and played sparingly, scoring two points. The Bobcats got the first basket on a Primo Brezec layup and never trailed in the quarter, though New Jersey tied the game three times. A 10-2 run lifted Charlotte to an eight-point lead (35-27) with 4:18 remaining. But several moments later the Nets answered with an 11-3 surge to tie it at 40 with 49.4 seconds left. Gerald Wallace flew into the lane at 0:28.7 for a rebound dunk to put the Bobcats back on top and Hart followed at 0:02.4 for a 44-40 halftime advantage. Wallace and Brezec each scored seven in the quarter and led Charlotte at the break with 11 points apiece. Carter had 19 at that stage and was New Jersey’s only double-figure scorer. The Bobcats’ shooting improved with a 45.0 percent period but the Nets remained low at 36.4.

Third quarter: The teams battled furiously through a period of ties and lead changes, for long stretches on a possession-by-possession basis. No more than three points separated the teams at any point, though it appeared the Nets had taken a four-point lead at the end of the quarter when Carter fired in a three-pointer for an apparent 72-68 count. But officials reviewed the tape and ruled that the 24-second shot clock had expired before Carter released the shot. New Jersey led 69-68 heading to the fourth. The shooting percentages reflected the back-and-forth scoring scenario of the quarter; the Bobcats hit 55.6 percent from the field, the Nets 56.5. Melvin Ely’s five topped Charlotte’s balanced scoring. Carter had eight for the Nets, running his three-quarter total to 27.

Fourth quarter: With Carter scoring at a point-per-minute pace through the first six minutes, the Nets created a little breathing room after the tight third period. A 7-0 run transformed a one-point game (71-70 New Jersey) into an eight-point affair by the mid-point. Charlotte cut it to three on a Jason Kapono three-pointer but Carter scored back-to-back baskets to run the lead back to seven. The Bobcats got the deficit briefly down to three, 89-86, on a Wallace free throw with 1:22 to play. The Nets closed it out at the free throw line, hitting six of their last nine attempts for a four-game season sweep of the Bobcats. Brezec’s 20 points led the Bobcats. Carter finished with 39 for the Nets. The final: New Jersey 95, Charlotte 91.

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GM & HEAD COACH BERNIE BICKERSTAFF SAYS...
(on the game) We were in a battle down the stretch and we didn’t go to war on the boards. There were two big offensive rebounds where (Nenad) Krstic went and got it. We didn’t go. We assumed our teammates would go and get it and we didn’t go to war. These are the things we keep talking about. You have to get possessions. We didn’t get that part of it done. We were right there within four toward the end and for us that’s terrific. We put ourselves in position to get it done. Then, there was one stretch where our defense was really good and they took a bad shot (and then got the ball back). In those situations you can never assume that your teammate is going to get the rebound or get the loose ball. I’d rather see two guys go after it, collide and knock it out of bounds. At least we lose it on our own. I’m disappointed in that part of the game. The effort is there. But in the last two or three minutes of the game when it’s winning time, you cannot take a siesta.

(on Vince Carter’s 39 points and his play at the end) Carter made some plays. He’s going to make plays. He’s a great basketball player. They went to him and he does all kind of stuff. He throws it off the glass and I think we all get hung up as spectators watching the show.

(on Emeka Okafor playing after it appeared an ankle sprain would keep him out) What happened on it in terms of our game plan, all of a sudden we got him (available) to play and there were some things we wanted to do defensively that he wasn’t aware of (because of missed practice time). It’s always good to have him and it’s good that a guy wants to play in that situation. There’s no problem because he really hadn’t missed any games…But if I had it to do all over again, and I told the guys at halftime, because of our walk-through and our shootaround today, I would have started Melvin (Ely). So I blew it in that situation.

(on losing four games to the Nets this season) They’re very smart. They did a nice job when you went to help. That’s how the big guy (Nenad Krstic) got the (nine) offensive rebounds. It’s not as simple as it may seem for us. We still had opportunities. I think we may have gotten a little hung up in the (officials’) calls.

(on Krstic’s play) He’s so big (7-0, 240). That’s what we talk about: at the end of the game he’s still seven feet. You fight him and you fight him and he just really, nothing athletic, he’s just reaching up and putting the ball back in. And our guys are down there reaching. That’s what they say about size. When the game’s on the line, when it gets to the end of the game, he’s still seven feet and that’s not going to change. I don’t think he was leaping but he was there and was just putting it in. We have a very difficult time keeping him out of the sweet spots.

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INSIDE THE LOCKER ROOM

PRIMOZ BREZEC
(on end-of-game fatigue) Everybody’s in good shape. We’re not really tired. We played hard. There were some things that we could not control. We made some mistakes and they were able to get it done.

(on Vince Carter) Every time they needed a bucket they went to him and he was able to be strong around the basket. That’s why he’s a great player, an All-Star. He has Jason Kidd around him. They played good basketball. They played playoff-type basketball.

(on New Jersey’s play) They’re still fighting but we’re still fighting, too. We’re fighting for our pride. We want to finish the season strong. We have 13 games left. We’re not going to give up on the season no matter what.

GERALD WALLACE
(on the game) We had chances to win but we just didn’t capitalize on them. We’re confident going into every game. We don’t go into any game saying we’re going to lose. We got into every game feeling like we have a chance to win so our confidence is always high no matter who we play.

(on execution down the stretch) If you don’t execute, you don’t score and we weren’t able to execute. We weren’t able to get any points. They were able to execute and do what they had to do.

(on Vince Carter) He’s tough. He’s an All-Star. He’s a great player. We all know what type of player he is. He did what he had to do and we still had a chance to win. You have those guys who are going to get theirs night in and night out. You still have to execute and do what you have to do on the offensive end. I don’t think we did that tonight.

BREVIN KNIGHT
(on the game) I thought we played well. Down the stretch, though, we just didn’t get buckets. They made some buckets and that was the end of the game. It was a good game. I thought we let them go on a little bit of a spurt in the fourth quarter. They were able to keep the lead and we just weren’t able to get it done.