GAME THREAD: GAME THREAD: NBA: CLEVELAND (9-11) at CHARLOTTE (6-11)

NBA: CLEVELAND (9-11) at CHARLOTTE (6-11)

<h3>Bobcats try to end slide vs. Cavaliers</h3>

Cleveland (9-11) at Charlotte (6-11) 7:00 pm EST


CHARLOTTE, North Carolina (Ticker) - The Charlotte Bobcats mighthave to face a player they almost signed this week when theyhost the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday.


Anderson Varejao, who hasn't played with the Cavaliers thisseason while holding out for either a new contract or a trade,signed a contract offer sheet with the Bobcats earlier thisweek. Since Varejao is a restricted free agent, Cleveland hadseven days to match the offer in order to retain the 6-10forward, which it did on Wednesday.


Varejao, 25, averaged 6.8 points and 6.7 rebounds last season asCleveland advanced to the NBA Finals for the first time infranchise history. The Brazilian native played in all 20 gamesduring the playoffs and averaged 6.0 points and 6.0 rebounds in22.4 minutes.


Varejao has played in 183 career games, including 10 starts andaveraged 5.6 points and 5.7 rebounds in 19.4 minutes per game.

The Cavaliers are in desperate need of offensive help as LeBronJames continues to be sidelined after spraining his left indexfinger. Cleveland is winless in its five games without itssuperstar and haven't scored more than 86 points over the span.

The Bobcats haven't fared much better recently and try to snap aseven-game losing streak on Saturday.

 

NBA: CLEVELAND at CHARLOTTE

<div class="pre">CLEVELAND VS CHARLOTTE - INACTIVES

CLEVELAND CHARLOTTE

PLAYER NAME REASON PLAYER NAME REASON
S MAY RIGHT KNEE SURGERY
J DAVIDSON COACH'S DECISION
A MORRISON TORN ACL</div>

 

NBA: CLEVELAND at CHARLOTTE

<div class="pre">CLEVELAND AT CHARLOTTE - PROBABLE STARTING LINEUPS


CLEVELAND CHARLOTTE

F Drew Gooden F Gerald Wallace
F Aleksandar Pavlovic F Emeka Okafor
C Zydrunas Ilgauskas C Primoz Brezec
G Shannon Brown G Jason Richardson
G Daniel Gibson G Raymond Felton

OFFICIALS: Jim Clark
Courtney Kirkland
Eric Lewis</div>

 

NBA: CLEVELAND at CHARLOTTE

<div class="pre">NBA CLEVELAND 8
CHARLOTTE 4 8:50 LEFT, 1ST QTR</div>

 

NBA: CLEVELAND at CHARLOTTE

<div class="pre">NBA CLEVELAND 15
CHARLOTTE 11 5:48 LEFT, 1ST QTR</div>

 

NBA: CLEVELAND at CHARLOTTE

<div class="pre">NBA CLEVELAND 21
CHARLOTTE 15 2:35 LEFT, 1ST QTR</div>

 

NBA: CLEVELAND at CHARLOTTE

<div class="pre">NBA CLEVELAND 26
CHARLOTTE 25 END, 1ST QTR</div>

 

NBA: CLEVELAND at CHARLOTTE

<div class="pre">NBA END 1ST QTR 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
CLEVELAND 26 26
CHARLOTTE 25 25 END 1ST QTR

HIGH SCORERS AFTER 1ST QUARTER

CLE - ALEKSANDAR PAVLOVIC 6, LARRY HUGHES 5,
DANIEL GIBSON 5
CHA - JASON RICHARDSON 11, GERALD WALLACE 8,
EMEKA OKAFOR 4</div>

 

NBA: CLEVELAND at CHARLOTTE

<div class="pre">NBA CLEVELAND 32
CHARLOTTE 36 8:44 LEFT, 2ND QTR</div>

 

NBA: CLEVELAND at CHARLOTTE

<div class="pre">NBA CLEVELAND 38
CHARLOTTE 44 5:54 LEFT, 2ND QTR</div>

 

NBA: CLEVELAND at CHARLOTTE

<div class="pre">NBA CLEVELAND 45
CHARLOTTE 49 2:42 LEFT, 2ND QTR</div>

 

NBA: CLEVELAND at CHARLOTTE

<div class="pre">NBA CLEVELAND 51
CHARLOTTE 51 HALFTIME</div>

 

NBA: CLEVELAND at CHARLOTTE

<div class="pre">NBA HALFTIME 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
CLEVELAND 26 25 51
CHARLOTTE 25 26 51 HALFTIME

HIGH SCORERS AT HALFTIME

CLE - LARRY HUGHES 12, ALEKSANDAR PAVLOVIC 9,
ZYDRUNAS ILGAUSKAS 7
CHA - JASON RICHARDSON 13, EMEKA OKAFOR 13,
GERALD WALLACE 10</div>

 

NBA: CLEVELAND at CHARLOTTE

<div class="pre">NBA CLEVELAND 54
CHARLOTTE 60 8:42 LEFT, 3RD QTR</div>

 

NBA: CLEVELAND at CHARLOTTE

<div class="pre">NBA CLEVELAND 56
CHARLOTTE 62 5:59 LEFT, 3RD QTR</div>

 

NBA: CLEVELAND at CHARLOTTE

<div class="pre">NBA CLEVELAND 62
CHARLOTTE 64 2:43 LEFT, 3RD QTR</div>

 

NBA: CLEVELAND at CHARLOTTE

<div class="pre">NBA CLEVELAND 68
CHARLOTTE 69 END, 3RD QTR</div>

 

NBA: CLEVELAND at CHARLOTTE

<div class="pre">NBA END 3RD QTR 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
CLEVELAND 26 25 17 68
CHARLOTTE 25 26 18 69 END 3RD QTR

HIGH SCORERS AFTER 3RD QUARTER

CLE - LARRY HUGHES 18, IRA NEWBLE 10,
ALEKSANDAR PAVLOVIC 9
CHA - GERALD WALLACE 18, JASON RICHARDSON 16,
EMEKA OKAFOR 14</div>

 

NBA: CLEVELAND at CHARLOTTE

<div class="pre">NBA CLEVELAND 74
CHARLOTTE 72 8:43 LEFT, 4TH QTR</div>

 

NBA: CLEVELAND at CHARLOTTE

<div class="pre">NBA CLEVELAND 75
CHARLOTTE 74 5:50 LEFT, 4TH QTR</div>