CHARLOTTE, N.C., Jan. 20 (UPI) -- Al Jefferson piled up 22 points and 19 rebounds Monday in helping the Charlotte Bobcats to a 100-95 win over the Toronto Raptors.
Jefferson scored 10 points in the first period, almost matching the 11 points by the entire Toronto team. Charlotte led by 15 after the first quarter and was up 55-36 at halftime despite not scoring a field goal in the final 3:40 of the second quarter.
The Raptors put up a 35-point fourth period and got within 93-92 with 25.9 seconds to go when Kyle Lowry hit a jumper. A string a free throws extended the Charlotte lead to 98-92, allowing the Bobcats to survive a late 3-pointer by Lowry.
Free throws were key to the Charlotte win. The Bobcats were 27-of-33 from the line, compared to just 7-of-10 for Toronto.
Charlotte's Ramon Sessions, with 23 points, edged Jefferson for team scoring honors while Gerald Henderson scored 16 for the Bobcats.
DeMar DeRozan and Lowry combined for 19-of-45 shooting and had 25 and 21 points, respectively, for Toronto. Chuck Hayes came off the bench for a 12-point, 13-rebound game.
