Bobcats claw Sonics

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Just when things couldn’t look any worse for the Charlotte Bobcats, they put together two of the best performances in team history.

Raymond Felton scored 24 points and Melvin Ely added 23, both career highs, to lead the suddenly streaking Bobcats to a 119-106 victory over the Seattle SuperSonics on Monday night. It gave them a two-game winning streak, and they led wire-to-wire in both victories for the first time in franchise history.

“We’ve been working so hard, playing so hard and fighting so hard,” Felton said. “It’s time for us to get rewarded a little bit.”

The Bobcats snapped their record 13-game losing streak Friday night with a shocker over the Los Angeles Lakers, then followed it with this decisive win over the Sonics. Charlotte led from the opening tip, built a second-half lead of 25 points, and won consecutive games for the first time since Dec. 27-28.

“That was one of the concerns, that the Los Angeles situation and all the hype, the concern was we wouldn’t move to the next level, the next game and pay Seattle the respect they deserve,” Bobcats coach Bernie Bickerstaff said. “I thought the transition to the next game was good.”

Jumaine Jones added 23 points for the Bobcats. Bernard Robinson had 16.

Ray Allen scored 31 to lead the Sonics, who have lost three straight and four of five. They have also struggled on the road, losing eight of their last 10.

“It was ugly,” Sonics coach Bob Hill said. “It was just ugly.”

Part of Seattle’s problem was its defense – which ranks last in the NBA, allowing 106.6 points a game. The Bobcats became the seventh straight team to score 100 points against the Sonics.

Charlotte scored 56 points in the paint, shot 56 percent, had 12 steals and blocked six shots.

Seattle got 22 points from Rashard Lewis and Luke Ridenour scored 18. But the Sonics played without forward Vladimir Radmanovic, who sat out with a sore hip, and replacement Nick Collison only contributed eight points.

“It seems like kind of at times we are going through the motions,” said Allen.

Bobcats 119, SuperSonics 106

Percentages: FG .463, FT .781. 3-Point Goals: 5-17, .294 (Allen 3-8, Ridnour 1-2, Lewis 1-5, Cleaves 0-1, Wilkins 0-1). Team Rebounds: 10. Team Turnovers: 19 (23 PTS). Blocked Shots: 1 (Wilkins). Turnovers: 18 (Lewis 5, Allen 3, Collison 2, Petro 2, Evans, Murray, Ridnour, Cleaves, Swift, Wilkins). Steals: 8 (Ridnour 4, Evans, Allen, Cleaves, Petro). Technical Fouls: None.

Percentages: FG .566, FT .654. 3-Point Goals: 8-15, .533 (Jones 3-7, Felton 2-2, Rush 2-3, Robinson 1-1, Carroll 0-2). Team Rebounds: 15. Team Turnovers: 19 (21 PTS). Blocked Shots: 6 (Voskuhl 3, Ely 2, Rush). Turnovers: 17 (Ely 4, Felton 4, Knight 3, Rush 2, Voskuhl 2, Jones, Brezec). Steals: 12 (Knight 6, Jones 2, Robinson 2, Rush 2). Technical Fouls: None.

A—13,202 (19,026). T—2:19.