Gerald Wallace

As Dwyane Wade walked onto Miami's homecourt for the first time in 6 1/2 weeks, Charlotte coach Bernie Bickerstaff called timeout, deflating what was a raucous greeting from the Heat crowd. And that wasn't all the Bobcats did to spoil Wade's fun last night. Gerald Wallace scored 30 points, Walter Herrmann hit two big three-pointers in the final minute and the Bobcats ruined Wade's return from a dislocated left shoulder by beating the Heat in overtime, 111-103, a loss that seriously hurt Miami's hope of having a homecourt edge for the first playoff round.

Before every NBA game, the officials meet with a player from each team. One of the things they do is pick the ball to use. The meeting probably never got more attention than it did last night before Minnesota's 102-96 win over the Bobcats in Charlotte, marking the return of the leather ball - an unprecedented midseason equipment change to appease players and coaches. The ball chosen? A newer-looking ball, more colorful than some of the more worn balls used in pregame warmups.

Kobe Bryant returned from his one-game suspension and had 43 points, eight rebounds and eight assists to help the Los Angeles Lakers beat host Boston, 111-98, last night and send the Celtics to their 13th consecutive loss. Ryan Gomes scored 23 points for Boston, which last lost 13 straight in 1996-97. In other games: At Memphis, Dirk Nowitzki had 26 points to lead Dallas to a 95-94 victory over the Grizzlies . . . At Minneapolis, Kevin Martin had 28 points and the go-ahead jump shot with 16.6 seconds left, helping Sacramento defeat Minnesota, 100-98 . . . At East Rutherford, N.J., Richard Hamilton scored 24 points and Detroit set a team record by making 27 consecutive free throws in a 113-89 victory over the Nets . . . At Orlando, Hedo Turkoglu's 17 points led the Magic to a 98-73 win over Milwaukee . . . At Toronto, Chris Bosh scored 34 points to lead the Raptors - who scored a franchise-record 43 points in the third quarter- to a 119-109 win over Washington . . . At Atlanta, Joe Johnson scored 33 points to lead the Hawks over Golden State, 115-94 . . . At Charlotte, Gerald Wallace scored 17 of his career-high 42 points in the fourth quarter as the Bobcats downed New York, 104-87 . . . At Houston, Tracy McGrady's 36 points led the Rockets to a 112-102 win over Seattle, which got 36 from Ray Allen . . . At Portland, Zach Randolph had 26 points and 17 rebounds, and the Trail Blazers beat Denver 100-91.

Vince Carter and the New Jersey Nets have the framework in place for a 4-year contract that guarantees the All-Star more than $60 million, according to a person with knowledge of the deal. Word of the deal came yesterday, though the person spoke on condition of anonymity because under league rules the agreement can not be announced until July 11, the first day free agents can sign. A day earlier the Nets announced Carter had opted out of the final year of a contract that would have paid him $16.3 million next season.

Gerald Wallace had 24 points and 20 rebounds and the Charlotte Bobcats held the visiting New Jersey Nets without a point for more than 10 minutes, rallying for a 79-68 victory last night. The Nets' ineptitude allowed Charlotte to go on a 24-0 run bridging the third and fourth quarters, wiping out the Bobcats' poor offensive start. D.J. Augustin added 21 points. The Nets dropped to 0-4, thanks to a brutal stretch where they lost Yi Jianlian to a sprained right knee and went nearly 11 1/2 minutes without a field goal.

Gerald Wallace called it "poor management. " It irks coach Larry Brown, too. As the Charlotte Bobcats barely cling to playoff hopes, they loaded into plane yesterday to become the first NBA team in 12 years to close the season on a four-game road trip. Blame it on a horse-jumping show that has their home arena covered in dirt - and the NBA schedule maker. "That comes from upstairs from the organization, as much as you hate to say it," said Wallace, Charlotte's top scorer.

LeBron James is expected to wow crowds, not opponents. James stunned host Charlotte with three explosive dunks, including a windmill that broke the game open late in the second quarter that led Cleveland to a 106-89 victory last night over the Bobcats. Memories of Julius Erving stirred. "What this game reminded me of was when Doctor J came into the league. He'd make a couple of plays and everyone would stand around and watch," Charlotte coach Bernie Bickerstaff said of the Sixers Hall of Famer.

The 76ers are depleted, in more ways than one. On Wednesday night, the Sixers dressed nine players and looked beleaguered and inefficient in a 103-84 loss to the Charlotte Bobcats. Because of injuries, the Sixers are running low on players. Because of that, and perhaps a few other factors - namely, the home stretch of a miserable season - they are also running low on points, defensive stops, and the ability to compete for a full 48 minutes. The Bobcats, led by Gerald Wallace's 24 points, improved to 39-35.

The locker room was quiet and LeBron James was accepting blame - not what the Cleveland Cavaliers planned heading into tonight's showdown with NBA-leading Dallas. Gerald Wallace had 27 points and 11 rebounds, Adam Morrison hit the go-ahead three-pointer in overtime and the host Charlotte Bobcats stunned Cleveland, 108-100, last night to snap the Cavaliers' eight-game winning streak. Cleveland, which had been nearly flawless in its winning streak, fell apart down the stretch against one of the NBA's worst teams, blowing a 10-point, fourth-quarter lead.

Maurice Cheeks was an old-school point guard, and he has adopted the same philosophy as the 76ers coach when it comes to touting his players' skills. Cheeks said a player's performance should speak for itself, which is why he didn't go on the campaign trail to get rookie Thaddeus Young an invitation to the NBA's freshman-sophomore game. The Feb. 15 event is part of all-star weekend in New Orleans. The assistant coaches from every NBA team get together and vote as a group for nine players on both the rookie and sophomore teams.

Much has changed since Episcopal Academy graduate Gerald Henderson and his Charlotte Bobcats lost to the host 76ers, 109-91, in their only meeting of the season, on Dec. 4. Henderson didn't play that game - he was still recovering from tendinitis in his knee - and former Sixers coach Larry Brown was still coaching the Bobcats. Now, Henderson is healthy, Paul Silas has replaced Brown, and the Bobcats are 6-4 under their new coach. They are also among the teams the Sixers will be battling for the seventh and eighth Eastern Conference playoff seeds.

The Chicago Bulls clinched the NBA's last unclaimed playoff spot last night, as Derrick Rose scored 27 points and Joakim Noah added 21 points and 13 rebounds in a 98-89 victory over the host Charlotte Bobcats. The Bulls closed the regular season with a three-game winning streak to beat out Toronto for the right to face Eastern Conference top seed Cleveland. Needing a win or a Raptors' loss to New York to get in, the Bulls quickly took it to the Bobcats, never trailing and leading by as many as 18 points.

The 76ers are depleted, in more ways than one. On Wednesday night, the Sixers dressed nine players and looked beleaguered and inefficient in a 103-84 loss to the Charlotte Bobcats. Because of injuries, the Sixers are running low on players. Because of that, and perhaps a few other factors - namely, the home stretch of a miserable season - they are also running low on points, defensive stops, and the ability to compete for a full 48 minutes. The Bobcats, led by Gerald Wallace's 24 points, improved to 39-35.

Michael Jordan was known to play his best against the best. The team he now owns seems to fit that description, too. Hours after Jordan was approved as the first former player to be a majority owner of an NBA team, his Bobcats continued a remarkable string of success against the better teams in the NBA, rallying from 19 points down to beat Oklahoma City, 100-92, last night in Charlotte. Stephen Jackson scored 18 of his 20 points in the second half, Stephen Graham matched a career high with 19 points filling in for the injured Gerald Wallace, and the Bobcats sent poor-shooting Kevin Durant and the Thunder to only their fourth loss in 21 games.

If a chance to move into fifth place in the Eastern Conference wasn't motivation enough for the Charlotte Bobcats, Michael Beasley had them hitting the court angry. These days, that's bad news for the Miami Heat and the rest of the NBA. Stephen Jackson scored 24 points, Gerald Wallace added 20 points and 10 rebounds, and the Bobcats completed a 6-0 homestand with their most lopsided victory in team history, 104-65, over the listless Heat last night. Shutting down a frustrated and foul-plagued Dwyane Wade, the Bobcats (21-19)

Gerald Wallace had 29 points and 12 rebounds in his return after missing a game with severe headaches, leading the Charlotte Bobcats to an 88-76 victory over the undermanned visiting Detroit Pistons last night and snapping a three-game losing streak. Stephen Jackson added 13 points despite playing with a sore back for the sharp-shooting Bobcats, who held a comfortable lead over the final three quarters. The Pistons lost their fifth straight as they again had 52 points-a-game in street clothes, with Richard Hamilton (hamstring)

Gerald Wallace had 24 points and 20 rebounds and the Charlotte Bobcats held the visiting New Jersey Nets without a point for more than 10 minutes, rallying for a 79-68 victory last night. The Nets' ineptitude allowed Charlotte to go on a 24-0 run bridging the third and fourth quarters, wiping out the Bobcats' poor offensive start. D.J. Augustin added 21 points. The Nets dropped to 0-4, thanks to a brutal stretch where they lost Yi Jianlian to a sprained right knee and went nearly 11 1/2 minutes without a field goal.

NEW YORK - Gerald Henderson doesn't have to move very far, but the Episcopal Academy and Duke product may as well be in another world when he suits up next season. Surrounded by his family last night at the WaMu Theater at Madison Square Garden, the 6-foot-4 wingman was selected 12th overall by the Charlotte Bobcats in the NBA draft. While he's staying in state and not far from Durham, he is entering Tar Heels territory - the Bobcats are coached by North Carolina alumnus Larry Brown and have another UNC alum as managing member of basketball operations in Michael Jordan.

Gerald Wallace called it "poor management. " It irks coach Larry Brown, too. As the Charlotte Bobcats barely cling to playoff hopes, they loaded into plane yesterday to become the first NBA team in 12 years to close the season on a four-game road trip. Blame it on a horse-jumping show that has their home arena covered in dirt - and the NBA schedule maker. "That comes from upstairs from the organization, as much as you hate to say it," said Wallace, Charlotte's top scorer.

This game was not lost in the final seconds, when 76ers guard Willie Green missed what would have been a tying three-pointer. This game was not lost a half-minute earlier, when Charlotte Bobcats forward Gerald Wallace caught and deposited a teammate's air ball for the decisive points. The Sixers lost last night's game in the first half, when Charlotte used them like orange drill cones: dribbling around, shooting over, and passing through them. Last night at the Time Warner Cable Arena, the Sixers danced with disaster and lost, 101-98.