LIVE: Houston (21-21) at Charlotte (10-30)

January 21, 2013

The Observer News Enterprise is live at Time Warner Cable Arena for an NBA match up between the Charlotte Bobcats (10-30) and the Houston Rockets (21-21).

The Rockets have lost seven-straight contests, including a 92-79 defeat on Saturday to the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Bobcats come off of a heartbreaking 97-93 loss to the Sacramento Kings also on Saturday.

Starting line ups

Charlotte
G Kemba Walker
G Gerald Henderson
C Bismack Biyombo
F Hakim Warrick
F Michael Kidd-Gilchrist

Houston
G James Harden
G Jeremy Lin
C Omer Asik
F Chandler Parsons
F Patrick Patterson

Inactives

Charlotte
Byron Mullens (left ankle sprain)

Houston
Royce White (suspended); Greg Smith (family issue); Terrence Jones (undisclosed issue).

Game coverage

First quarter
Bobcats pulling ahead early. At the first break in action with 6:08 left in the first quarter, Charlotte leads 15-8. Houston's Marcus Morris picks up a technical foul heading into the break.

After the first quarter, the Bobcats are ahead 30-22. Gerald Henderson leads the Cats with eight points, while Jeffrey Taylor adds seven points off of the bench. Houston's Chandler Parsons leads all scorers with 10 points.

Second quarter
The Charlotte Bobcats lead 34-29 with 8:45 left in the first half. Charlotte shooting 48 percent from the field, while the Rockets are making 33 percent of their shots.

Houston makes a run and cuts lead to 37-34 with 7:26 left in the first half. Charlotte calls timeout.

Kemba Walker hits a 3-pointer to give Charlotte a 56-45 lead with 1:18 left in the first half. Walker with a game-high 17 points to lead all scorers.

HALFTIME: CHARLOTTE 56, HOUSTON 45

Charlotte: Kemba Walker 17 points and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist nine points

Houston: Chandler Parsons and James Harden with 10 points

Third quarter
Kemba Walker was given a technical foul before the halftime break. Houston's James Harden misses the technical free throw to start the half.

The Rockets cut the lead down to 63-62 with 5:54 left in the third quarter.

Kemba Walker powering the Bobcats late in the third quarter. He has 28 points in today's game. Charlotte leads 81-74 at the end of three quarters.

Fourth quarter
The Bobcats' lead grows to nine points, but the Rockets continue to cut into deficit with Charlotte's bench players on the floor. With 8:17 left in the game, Charlotte leads 83-81.

Charlotte holding on to a slim 85-84 lead with 5:54 lead in the game. The Bobcats haven't scored in nearly two minutes. A dunk by Rockets guard James Harden at the 7:57 mark of the quarter gave Houston its first lead of the entire contest.

Houston leads 93-92 after a 3-pointer from Patrick Beverley. There is 2:33 left in the contest. Charlotte's Kemba Walker nearing his career high in points.

Carlos Delfino hits a 3-pointer to give Houston a 96-94 lead with 1:54 left. The game is coming down to the wire.

James Harden scores 12 points in the final quarter, including 10-of-10 attempts from the free throw line, to help lift Houston to a 100-94 victory against the Bobcats.

FINAL SCORE: HOUSTON 100, CHARLOTTE 94

Charlotte: Kemba Walker - 35 points, five assists; Ramon Sessions - 19 points, eight rebounds.

Houston: James Harden - 29 points (19-of-21 free throws), Marcus Morris - 21 points, eight rebounds.

Please pick up a copy of Tuesday's Observer News Enterprise for a complete story of today's NBA game!