The Observer News Enterprise is live at Time Warner Cable Arena for an NBA match up between the Charlotte Bobcats and the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Charlotte is on a three-game losing streak and has lost its past 16 home games, while Minnesota has also lost its past three games.
Starting line ups
Charlotte
G Kemba Walker
G Gerald Henderson
C Bismack Biyombo
F Michael Kidd-Gilchrist
F Hakim Warrick
Minnesota
G Ricky Rubio
G Luke Ridnour
C Greg Stiemsma
F Derrick Williams
F Andrei Kiriklenko
Inactives
Charlotte
Byron Mullens (left ankle)
Minnesota
Chase Budinger (left knee), Malcolm Lee (right knee), Brandon Roy (right knee). Also out are Kevin Love (right hand), Nikola Pekovic (right thigh), Alexey Shved (left ankle).
Game coverage
First quarter
Timberwolves are up 14-4 after the first TV timeout at 8:15 in the first quarter. Minnesota's Greg Stiemsma with four points and three rebounds to start the game.
With 5:14 left in the first, Minnesota leads 21-10. 'Wolves center Greg Stiemsma with eight points and four rebounds.
The Timberwolves are shooting lights out in the first quarter - 12-of-20 (60 percent). With 2:12 left in the first quarter, Minnesota leads 31-16.
Minnesota's J.J. Barea with a halfcourt heave to make a 3-pointer at the buzzer. The 'Wolves lead 34-22 after one quarter of play and shoot 13-of-24 in the opening quarter (54.2 percent), led by Luke Ridnour's 11 points. Ramon Sessions leads Charlotte with five points.
Second quarter
Bobcats are trying to get back into game. With a run, the lead is at 10 points, 38-28, with 9:22 remaining in the first half. Ramon Sessions with nine points to lead Charlotte.
Injury update: 'Wolves forward Andrei Kirilenko, who left in the game's opening seconds after suffering a cut and was bleeding in the corner of his left eyebrow, has returned after getting stitches.
With 5:48 left in the first half, Charlotte trails 45-34. Minnesota has maintained is margin and continues to shoot 50 percent from the field.
There is 2:24 left in the second quarter, and Minnesota is ahead 52-42. Ramon Sessions and Ben Gordon giving Charlotte a boost off of the bench with 11 and 10 points, respectively.
Four seconds left until halftime, and the Timberwolves lead 58-47. Bobcats call a timeout to set up a last-second play.
At halfimte, Charlotte trails 58-47. The Bobcats staying in the game, cutting deficit to as low as eight points. It'll be interesting to see how Minnesota's thin bench holds up.
HALFTIME: MINNESOTA 58, CHARLOTTE 47
Leading scorers: Luke Ridnour (MIN) 11 points, six assists; Greg Stiemsma (MIN) 10 points, six rebounds.
Ben Gordon (CHA) 12 points, Ramon Sessions (CHA) 11 points
Third quarter
Bobcats trail 67-54 at the 7:10 mark in the third quarter. Ben Gordon and Ramon Sessions return for Charlotte after the timeout.
At the TV timeout, Charlotte trails 71-65 and got as close as four points. Minnesota misses helping the Bobcats get back into the game.
Three quarters down, and the Bobcats trail 77-73. A rough shooting quarter for the Timberwolves. Kemba Walker, Gerald Henderson and Ben Gordon all getting in on the action for Charlotte in the quarter.
Fourth quarter
Back-to-back dunks by Jeff Adrien and Ramon Sessions tie the game at 79-79 with 10:42 left in the fourth quarter. Minnesota calls timeout.
Pullup jumper by Kemba Walker at the 10:00 mark of the fourth quarter gives Charlotte a 81-79 advantage — the Bobcats' first lead of the entire game.
Charlotte's lead is up to 91-83 with 7:11 left in the game. Bobcats were down as much as 18 at one point, but have rallied to take the lead. If Charlotte can hold on to win, it will be its first home victory since Nov. 21 against the Toronto Raptors.
Minnesota comes back to tie the game. A 3-pointer by J.J. Barea knots the contest at 93-93 with 4:32 left in the game. Bobcats call timeout.
Bobcats pull ahead again, but yet another 3-pointer by Barea ties the contest 97-97 with 1:05 left in the game. Charlotte again calls timeout.
Charlotte turns the ball over right off of the in-bound. It is stolen by Barea, who fails to make a lay up, but teammate Andrei Kirilenko makes the putback. Bismack Biyombo answers the score with a lay up of his own and is fouled. He fails to convert the and-one, Minnesota gets the rebound and calls timeout. There are 36.3 seconds left in the game.
Gerald Henderson hits a 3-pointer with 4.6 seconds left in the game as the shot clock expired to give Charlotte a 102-101 lead Minnesota goes to J.J. Barea for the final possession, but he turns the ball over. Charlotte has won!
FINAL SCORE: CHARLOTTE 102, MINNESOTA 101
Leading scorers: Kemba Walker (CHA) 25 points, eight assists
Ramon Sessions (CHA) 23 points, four assists
Luke Ridnour (MINN) 22 points, seven assists
J.J. Barea (MINN) 19 points, five rebounds
Return to observernewsonline.com later this evening for a complete game story about the Bobcats' thrilling victory!