Diaw’s Double-Double Destroys Suns Bobcats Win 98-76

Posted by Jeff Sack under NBA Game Recap

Boris Diaw 1.23a

Gerald Wallace scored a game high 28 points, but the key player for the Charlotte Bobcats in Friday night’s victory over the Phoenix Suns by a 98-76 margin was former Suns power forward Boris Diaw. Diaw in his first time seeing his old team since they traded guard Raja Bell and him to the Bobcats recorded a double-double, and Charlotte shot 51.3% (40-78) from the floor for the game, while holding Phoenix to an anemic 36% (27-75) for the night. The victory brought the Bobcats back to .500 at home, as they now hold a 13-13 mark at games they have played in Charlotte.

It wasn’t that the Bobcats played that well in the first 12 minutes, it was the Suns played that poorly as Charlotte would hold a 21-13 advantage at the end of the first quarter. Phoenix did play better in the second, but Charlotte at that point was playing a whole lot better, as the game was for all intent and purposes over at the half with the Bobcats walking into the locker room lead 59-37. Apparently Phoenix head coach Terry Porter did not believe his team was sufficiently punished in the first half, so he brought them back out for the third quarter. Bad move coach, as Charlotte led 81-55, at the end of the period. Needless to say the Suns caused no fear for the Bobcats or their fans in the fourth.

Gerald Wallace scored 28 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 5 steals, and 2 blocks, while Boris Diaw dropped 27 points, grabbed 11 boards, 4 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block. Raymond Felton added 11 points, 5 assists, 2 rebounds, and 1 steal, in the Bobcats victory.

Shaquille O’Neal scored 20 points, 7 rebounds, 1 block, and 1 steal. Amare Stoudemire was the only other Suns player in double figures, as he had 12 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 blocks. Charlotte with the victory improves overall to a record of 18-25, Phoenix now sits at 23-18.

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