QUARTER-BY-QUARTER ANALYSIS
First quarter: Emeka Okafor scored six of Charlotte's first 12 points as the Bobcats jumped out to a quick 12-7 lead. New Jersey battled back and tied the game three times at 14, 16 and 18 before grabbing the lead on a Travis Best driving layup with 3:38 remaining. The Nets finished the period on a 9-2 run to take a 27-20 advantage into the second. Okafor led Charlotte with 10 points in the quarter. Richard Jefferson had 7 for New Jersey.

Second quarter: New Jersey continued its run into the second quarter and opened a 10-point lead on several occasions. Trailing 45-36 with 4:33 remaining, the Bobcats put together their last good run of the night, scoring 10 consecutive points to take a 46-45 lead. The rally was short-lived, however, as Charlotte missed its final eight shots of the period and fell behind 50-46 at the break. The Bobcats were outshot 53.1 percent to 42.6 percent and outrebounded 23-13 in the first half. Okafor led the Bobcats with 18 points and 6 rebounds. Jefferson had 14 points and 6 rebounds for the Nets.

Third quarter: The third period was a continuation of the end of the second for the Bobcats. Charlotte shot 26.6 percent (4-of-15) from the field and turned the ball over nine times as the Nets raced to a 72-60 advantage. Eric Williams and Alonzo Mourning combined for 12 of New Jersey's 22 points in the quarter as the Nets consistently pounded the ball inside. New Jersey outscored Charlotte 14-2 in points in the paint in the period.

Fourth quarter: The Nets started the quarter on a 7-2 run to build the lead to a game-high 17 points at 79-62. New Jersey maintained a double-digit lead throughout the rest of the game with Charlotte only getting as close as 11 (97-86) with 34 seconds remaining. The Bobcats were outshot 53.5 percent to 41.7 percent and outrebounded 42 to 31 in the loss. Okafor registered his fifth consecutive double-double with a career-high 26 points and 12 rebounds. Jefferson led the Nets with 23. Williams added 22 and Mourning posted a double-double with 18 points and 11 rebounds.

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GM & HEAD COACH BERNIE BICKERSTAFF SAYS...
(on the game) We had no resilience. We had a press conference earlier and we were talking about our rotations defensively and they were just nonexistent. The coaches did a bad job, the players did a bad job. Collectively, we were just nonexistent tonight.

(on the Nets) Hats off to the Nets, who did an excellent job moving the basketball, sharing the basketball, and making shots. They had 52 points in the paint, so the Nets did a good job tonight. The one thing we tell our guys all the time is if you want the ball and it's going out of bounds, I would rather see two or three orange jerseys on it. It happened tonight, we were around the basketball and we would lose it out of bounds. It was one of those nights. Kudos to New Jersey, they got it done

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INSIDE THE LOCKER ROOM

EMEKA OKAFOR
(on the game) I didn't like the way we played out there. It wasn't the way we played the past couple of games. It was like when your mother cooked something that didn't taste right at that time; one ingredient was missing. There was one ingredient missing tonight and I don't know what it was.

(on not being able to win on the road) Right now we just have to learn and move on. Frustration is a wasted emotion. Why spend time being angry? You just have to learn and go on to the next game.

(on playing against Mourning) When I say he's strong, it's an understatement. That's a big, strong dude there. The guy has been around and done a lot of things. I just try to see what he does.

(on having his best game numbers-wise) We just didn't do what we needed to do. We just weren't ourselves. I'm not really happy the way we played out there.

STEVE SMITH
(on playing with an expansion team) I've been on an expansion team before. We've got a good group of guys that are playing hard every night. It's good.

(on the team's biggest challenge) The challenge is going out there and trying to come together. Trying to get our chemistry together. We're a new team and no one's familiar with each other. The city is fine and it's a basketball town, so they love it and it's good.