with 3.1 seconds remaining lifted the Philadelphia 76ers to a
come-from-behind 86-84 victory over the Charlotte Bobcats on Wednesday
night.
Andre Iguodala scored 25 points,
Williams had 19 and Elton Brand contributed season highs of 19 points,
11 rebounds and six blocked shots for the Sixers, who snapped a
two-game losing streak. Rodney Carney had 10 points for Philadelphia.
With the score tied at 84, Boris Diaw
missed a baseline jumper and Iguodala gathered the rebound. He dribbled
to midcourt and passed to Williams for the layup on the fast break.
The Bobcats never got off a shot on their final possession.
Stephen Jackson scored 10 of his 26
points in the fourth quarter. Gerald Wallace added 11 points and 12
rebounds for the reeling Bobcats (3-8), who dropped their sixth
straight and fell to 0-6 on the road.
Jackson played his second game for
the Bobcats since being acquired with Acie Law from Golden State on
Monday for Raja Bell and Vladimir Radmanovic.
Jackson nearly erased a seven-point
deficit single-handedly in the fourth quarter. He hit a tough jumper in
the lane and then drained a 3-pointer to give Charlotte an 82-81
advantage with 2:09 left.
On the Bobcats' next possession, Diaw
drove to the basket for a layup and an 84-81 lead with 1:49 remaining.
Williams made two free throws to close within 84-83 with 52 seconds
left. Iguodala then hit one of two free throws to tie the game at 84
with 30 seconds remaining.
Earlier in the fourth, Jackson hit a
3-pointer from the baseline and then converted two of three free throws
after being fouled on a 3-point attempt on Charlotte's next possession.
That cut a 77-70 deficit to 77-75 with 5:41 remaining.
Brand was in the starting lineup for
the Sixers despite speculation over the past couple of days that he
might be coming off the bench.
Two years ago, Brand signed a
five-year, $80 million free agent contract. But he missed the majority
of last season with a shoulder injury and he entered Wednesday's game
with career-low averages in points (9.8) and rebounds (5.3). Brand has
also been on the bench in the fourth quarter six of the last seven
games before this one.
But he played a season-high 41 minutes, including meaningful minutes down the stretch.
Iguodala led four Sixers in double figures as they held a 52-43 advantage at halftime.
Notes
Charlotte C Tyson Chandler
suffered lower back spasms in the second quarter and sat out the entire
second half. … Bobcats coach Larry Brown said he hopes guard Allen
Iverson lands with another team. Iverson, who was waived by the Memphis
Grizzlies earlier this week, took the Sixers to the NBA finals in 2001.
"I don't want to see him end his career this way," Brown said. …
Charlotte was whistled for three shot-clock violations in the first
half. … Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson attended the game.