NBA  FINAL IN 2ND OT


                     1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH  OT 2OT     TOTAL
                     --- --- --- --- --- ---     -----
     CHARLOTTE        29  39  16  25  13  11      133
     BOSTON           30  23  31  25  13   7      129    FINAL IN 2ND OT


 HIGH SCORERS:  CHA - RICKY DAVIS 32, BRAD MILLER 32, EDDIE JONES 21
                BOS - PAUL PIERCE 27, DANA BARROS 26, TWO PLAYERS WITH 23


 HIGH REBOUND:  CHA - BRAD MILLER 13, CHUCKY BROWN 8
                BOS - RON MERCER 10, PAUL PIERCE 9


 HIGH ASSISTS:  CHA - EDDIE JONES 7, DAVID WESLEY 5
                BOS - DANA BARROS 9, ANTOINE WALKER 7


          ATT:  16,635
                                                                        

Extended Box


CHARLOTTE (133) AT BOSTON (129) - FINAL IN 2ND OT


CHARLOTTE
                                               REBOUNDS
PLAYER           POS  MIN  FGM-FGA  FTM-FTA  OFF-DEF-TOT  AST  PF  ST  TO  PTS
======           ===  ===  =======  =======  ===========  ===  ==  ==  ==  ===


BROWN             F    38    5-13     0-0      1   7   8    1   4   0   1   10
PHILLS            F    17    3-5      0-0      0   3   3    0   2   0   1    7
CAMPBELL          C    20    2-7      0-0      2   3   5    2   1   0   0    4
JONES             G    41    7-15     7-8      2   4   6    7   1   1   2   21
WESLEY            G    17    3-7      0-0      0   1   1    5   1   0   0    6
BECK                   34    5-8      0-1      3   3   6    4   2   0   2   11
DAVIS                  41   12-20     8-9      2   5   7    2   4   1   2   32
MILLER                 38    9-16    14-17     3  10  13    4   5   0   2   32
PERSON                 20    1-3      2-2      0   4   4    2   2   0   0    5
RECASNER               24    2-6      0-0      0   2   2    3   0   0   3    5
COLEMAN               DNP - COACH'S DECISION
SHACKLEFORD           DNP - COACH'S DECISION


TOTALS                290   49-100   31-37    13  42  55   30  22   2  13  133
                            (.490)   (.838) TEAM REBS: 9  TOTAL TO: 13(17 PTS)


BOSTON
                                               REBOUNDS
PLAYER           POS  MIN  FGM-FGA  FTM-FTA  OFF-DEF-TOT  AST  PF  ST  TO  PTS
======           ===  ===  =======  =======  ===========  ===  ==  ==  ==  ===


BATTIE            F     3    0-1      0-0      1   1   2    0   0   0   0    0
PIERCE            F    45   11-21     3-4      5   4   9    5   3   2   1   27
POTAPENKO         C    26    4-9      0-2      0   5   5    2   6   1   0    8
BARROS            G    52    8-17     6-7      2   5   7    9   1   3   4   26
MERCER            G    54   11-22     1-2      2   8  10    4   4   1   2   23
BOWEN                  14    0-1      0-0      0   0   0    1   6   0   0    0
D JONES                 8    1-2      0-0      0   0   0    1   0   1   0    2
MCCARTY                32    3-11     5-5      3   4   7    4   5   0   1   13
RILEY                  13    1-2      5-5      1   3   4    1   1   0   1    7
WALKER                 43    9-22     1-4      2   6   8    7   5   2   1   23
ANDERSON              DNP - STRAINED RIGHT HAMSTRING
SCHINTZIUS            DNP - COACH'S DECISION


TOTALS                290   48-108   21-29    16  36  52   34  31  10  10  129
                            (.444)   (.724) TEAM REBS: 9  TOTAL TO: 10(15 PTS)


   CHARLOTTE          29   39   16   25   13   11  -  133
   BOSTON             30   23   31   25   13    7  -  129


BLOCKED SHOTS: CHARLOTTE -  CAMPBELL 3, DAVIS, MILLER. BOSTON -  PIERCE 2,
WALKER, MERCER, BOWEN.
3-PT. FIELD GOALS: CHARLOTTE 4-10 (.400), PHILLS 1-2, JONES 0-1, WESLEY
0-2, BECK 1-1, PERSON 1-2, RECASNER 1-2. BOSTON 12-28 (.429), PIERCE 2-7,
BARROS 4-9, MERCER 0-3, MCCARTY 2-4, WALKER 4-5.
TECHNICALS: CHARLOTTE - ILLEGAL DEFENSE.
OFFICIALS: BENNETT SALVATORE, JOE DEROSA, MARC DAVIS.
A - 16,635. T - 2:52.
                                                                        

Box Score


CHARLOTTE (133)
                      fg    ft    rb
               min   m-a   m-a   o-t  a pf   tp
Brown           38  5-13   0-0   1-8  1  4   10
Phills          17   3-5   0-0   0-3  0  2    7
Campbell        20   2-7   0-0   2-5  2  1    4
Jones           41  7-15   7-8   2-6  7  1   21
Wesley          17   3-7   0-0   0-1  5  1    6
Beck            34   5-8   0-1   3-6  4  2   11
Davis           41 12-20   8-9   2-7  2  4   32
Miller          38  9-16 14-17  3-13  4  5   32
Person          20   1-3   2-2   0-4  2  2    5
Recasner        24   2-6   0-0   0-2  3  0    5
Coleman        DNP - coach's decision
Shackleford    DNP - coach's decision
_______________________________________________
TOTALS         29049-100 31-37 13-55 30 22  133
_______________________________________________


Percentages: FG-.490, FT-.838. 3-Point Goals:
4-10, .400 (Phills 1-2, Jones 0-1, Wesley 0-2,
Beck 1-1, Person 1-2, Recasner 1-2). Team
rebounds: 9. Blocked shots: 5 (Campbell 3, Davis,
Miller). Turnovers: 13 (Recasner 3, Beck 2, Davis
2, Jones 2, Miller 2, Brown, Phills). Steals: 2
(Davis, Jones).


BOSTON (129)
                      fg    ft    rb
               min   m-a   m-a   o-t  a pf   tp
Battie           3   0-1   0-0   1-2  0  0    0
Pierce          45 11-21   3-4   5-9  5  3   27
Potapenko       26   4-9   0-2   0-5  2  6    8
Barros          52  8-17   6-7   2-7  9  1   26
Mercer          54 11-22   1-2  2-10  4  4   23
Bowen           14   0-1   0-0   0-0  1  6    0
D Jones          8   1-2   0-0   0-0  1  0    2
Mccarty         32  3-11   5-5   3-7  4  5   13
Riley           13   1-2   5-5   1-4  1  1    7
Walker          43  9-22   1-4   2-8  7  5   23
Anderson       DNP - strained right hamstring
Schintzius     DNP - coach's decision
_______________________________________________
TOTALS         29048-108 21-29 16-52 34 31  129
_______________________________________________


Percentages: FG-.444, FT-.724. 3-Point Goals:
12-28, .429 (Pierce 2-7, Barros 4-9, Mercer 0-3,
Mccarty 2-4, Walker 4-5). Team rebounds: 9.
Blocked shots: 5 (Pierce 2, Walker, Mercer,
Bowen). Turnovers: 10 (Barros 4, Mercer 2,
Mccarty, Pierce, Riley, Walker). Steals: 10
(Barros 3, Pierce 2, Walker 2, D Jones, Mercer,
Potapenko).
______________________________________________________
Charlotte          29   39   16   25   13   11  -  133
Boston             30   23   31   25   13    7  -  129
______________________________________________________
Technical fouls: Charlotte 1 (Illegal Defense,
4:44 2nd OT). Flagrant fouls: Boston 1 (Bowen,
11:05 4th).  A: 16,635. T: 2:52. Officials:
Bennett Salvatore, Joe Derosa, Marc Davis.
                                                                        

Game Story


BOSTON (Ticker) -- Eddie Jones' driving layup with 27 seconds
left in the second overtime helped the Charlotte Hornets record
a wild 133-129 victory over the Boston Celtics in the season
finale for both teams. 


Dana Barros and Walter McCarty each made a pair of free throws
33 seconds apart for Boston to force a 129-129 tie.  Jones put
the Hornets on top for good, and after McCarty misfired on a
3-pointer, Ricky Davis made two foul shots with three seconds
left to provide the final margin. 


"We came in and really played so well," said Hornets interim
coach Paul Silas. "We all of course want to get better.  We're
all up right now and this was a nice way to end the season." 


Davis and fellow rookie Brad Miller both tallied a career-high
32 points for the Hornets, who overcame a 3-10 start to finish
26-24 but placed ninth in the Eastern Conference, one spot from
a playoff berth.  Charlotte went 22-13 under interim coach Paul
Silas, who took over after Dave Cowens resigned 15 games into
the season. 


"It's nice to be able to play a game like this and play well and
come out with a win," said Miller.  "I just got in and got a
chance to play.  Ricky Davis and I went in and were having fun.
Our second squad just went in and got some minutes.  It was
great ending the season like this." 


"Ricky Davis was unreal.  He really shot the ball well," Silas
said.  "He took it to the hole, shot his free throws and really
played so well.  He and Brad Miller will be a big part of this
ballclub.  This was sensational for both of those kids." 


Rookie Paul Pierce netted 27 points and Dana Barros contributed
26 for Boston (19-31), which dropped its final three games,
finishing fifth in the Atlantic Division and 12th in the Eastern
Conference.  The Celtics have not made the playoffs since 1995. 


"That ballgame was indicative of our season.  We fought back
hard, we got back into the game," said Celtics coach Rick
Pitino.  "They are a very good shooting team.  They are one of
the best shooting teams in the league." 


Charlotte held a six-point lead with 52 seconds remaining in
regulation but Pierce drained two 3-pointers in the final 46
seconds to force the first extra session.  Barros gave the
Celtics a 122-119 lead with two free throws late in overtime,
but Corey Beck's 3-pointer with 4.9 seconds left tied it. 


Jones scored 21 points and Miller grabbed 13 rebounds for the
Hornets, who shot 49 percent (49-of-100), including 4-of-10 from
beyond the arc, and held a 55-52 advantage on the boards. 


Ron Mercer and Antoine Walker scored 23 points apiece for the
Celtics, who connected on 44 percent (48-of-108) and were
12-of-28 from 3-point range. 


"We are a young team and it is going to take chemistry to get
better," said Walker.  "When we come into training camp next
year, we need to really focus on our defense.  We already have
the offense, now we need to be consistent on the defensive
side." 


Despite the length and unimportance of the contest, the teams
combined for just 23 turnovers. 
                                                                        

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