Wallace leads Bobcats to most lopsided win in franchise history, 116-81 over listless Raptors

Bobcats beat Raptors 116-81 in team’s biggest rout

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Gerald Wallace broke out of his shooting slump with 31 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, helping the Charlotte Bobcats to the most lopsided victory in team history, 116-81 over the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday night.

Stephen Jackson added 23 points for Charlotte, which held the listless Raptors to 35 percent shooting. The sixth-year Bobcats’ previous biggest win was a 32-point rout of Indiana on Nov. 16, 2005.

While Wallace entered as the NBA’s third-leading rebounder, he was shooting 38 percent from the field and averaging only 13.7 points. But he took advantage of one of the NBA’s worst defenses by beating numerous defenders off the dribble.

Chris Bosh had 18 points and 14 rebounds, and Andrea Bargnani scored 15 for the Raptors, who set a season low for points and lost for the fifth time in seven games.

They did it in ugly fashion. A night after scoring 74 points in the first half en route to a blowout win over Indiana, Toronto managed 35 points in the second half against Charlotte.

The low-scoring Bobcats set a season high for points for the second straight game thanks to Wallace, who was 10 for 20 from the field and 11 of 12 from the foul line. He also combined with Jackson in Charlotte’s most fluid offensive performance since Jackson’s arrival.

Before Jackson’s fifth game since being acquired Golden State, coach Larry Brown said, “There’s a lot more he’s capable of doing. We’ve got to find a way to help him out.”

Jackson appeared more comfortable with his teammates, and teamed with Wallace in the game’s decisive run. With Charlotte leading 66-59 midway through the third quarter, Jackson fed Boris Diaw to begin a 17-3 run full of fast-break hoops.

Wallace hit two free throws, a shot in the lane and had a thunderous one-handed dunk over Amir Johnson that turned into a three-point play. Jackson then dunked on a feed from Wallace, and Wallace later hit two more free throws.

The Raptors, whose previous season low was 91 points, never recovered. And there were many culprits.

Bosh had his second straight poor shooting night, hitting only 5 of 14. Hedo Turkoglu managed only five points on 2-of-7 shooting and Jarrett Jack shot 1 for 9.

Tyson Chandler, in his return after missing two games with back spasms, blocked six shots and helped Charlotte to a 49-42 rebounding edge.

The Raptors trailed 52-46 at halftime, and Bosh didn’t get his first field goal until the final minute of the half. Bargnani’s outside shooting and Johnson’s play off the bench kept Toronto in it.

Toronto was no match in the second half, when it committed 13 of its 18 turnovers.

NOTES: Raptors coach Jay Triano isn’t expecting a dispute between point guards Jose Calderon and Jack, like Jack had in Indiana with T.J. Ford. “Both these guys are team guys,” he said. … Bobcats G Acie Law was active for the first time in five games since being acquired in the Jackson trade and had two points in 5 minutes. … Raptors F Reggie Evans (foot) was in a walking boot and has yet to play this season.