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Wednesday, Dec. 29 7:30pm ET
Coleman scores season-high 27 | |||||
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BOX SCORE
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 GAME FLOW
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -- Just when the Charlotte Hornets seem to be rounding into form without Eddie Jones, there comes word that he may return sooner than expected. Jones, out since Dec. 21 with a torn ligament in his left elbow that doctors originally said could sideline him for up to six weeks, said Wednesday night he might be back in less than half that time. "I'm being optimistic," Jones said after the Hornets overcame three strong individual performances in a 109-105 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks. Jones, who leads Charlotte in scoring and the NBA in steals, was fitted with an elbow brace Wednesday and plans to join the Hornets on a five-game West Coast swing that begins Jan. 4. "The doctors have told me when I feel like I can go, I can go," he said. "Right now I'm looking at the 12th, but it could possibly be sooner." The Hornets struggled after Jones went down but have won two in a row, and in both cases, they got double-figure scoring from seven players. Derrick Coleman led the way against Milwaukee with a season-high 27 points. Elden Campbell added 17 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks. "When somebody's out, everybody else has to step up," said Coleman, who added six rebounds, four blocks and three steals. "Everybody's coming to the games and helping out, stepping their games up and just trying to contribute any way they can." Charlotte made just two field goals in the final eight minutes but still shot 54 percent and improved to 13-2 at home. "They came up big with a lot of energy and intensity," Milwaukee coach George Karl said of the Hornets. "They simply outhustled us." Milwaukee's Sam Cassell had a career-high 19 assists before fouling out in the final minute. Glenn Robinson scored 36 points -- the highest by a Charlotte opponent this season. Ray Allen added 28, but 19 came in the first half when he hit seven of 10 field-goal attempts. He missed 10 of 14 the rest of the way. The game matched the strong inside play of the Hornets against the perimeter shooting of the Bucks, who made eight of 18 3-point tries but went to the foul line just 13 times and made 11. Charlotte was 31-for-40 from the line. "We had shots the whole game, but we just didn't have anything defensively," Allen said. "We were less worried about getting shots than on how to stop them. We didn't pick up our defensive assignments very well." After falling behind by 11 early in the fourth quarter, the Bucks held Charlotte to one field goal over the next six-plus minutes. The defensive pressure helped Milwaukee cut its deficit to 103-102 when Cassell fed Robinson for a 15-foot jumper from the right wing with 2:49 remaining. But Milwaukee missed its next two field goal attempts and turned it over once, allowing Charlotte to stretch it to 107-103 on a pair of free throws by David Wesley with 11 seconds left. The Bucks' Tim Thomas hit a layup four seconds later, but Wesley sealed it wih two more foul shots at the 6-second mark. There were 12 lead changes and seven ties before the Hornets closed the third quarter with an 18-8 run. Coleman and Anthony Mason had five points apiece in the surge, which put Charlotte up 90-84 heading into the fourth quarter. When Bobby Phills hit a 3-pointer to make it 99-88 with 8:15 left in the game, it represented the biggest lead by either team. Game notesThe Hornets improved to 5-0 at home vs. Central Division teams. ... Sitting in a front-row seat was 1999 Winston Cup champion Dale Jarrett, barely recognizable since shaving his trademark moustache. ... Cassell's assists were three short of the club record of 22 set by Guy Rodgers in 1968. ... Performing a rousing rendition of the national anthem was Carolina Panthers defensive lineman Esera Tuaolo. He is scheduled to sing the song again Sunday at the Panthers' regular-season finale against New Orleans. | ALSO SEE NBA Scoreboard Milwaukee Clubhouse Charlotte Clubhouse RECAPS Indiana 116 Atlanta 89
Charlotte 109
Philadelphia 97
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