on the court. Bobcats

CHARLOTTE, N. Byung-hyun Kim Jersey .C. -- Al Jefferson joked that he feels he can score from anywhere on the court. Bobcats coach Steve Clifford would prefer the man they call "Big Al" to set up shop close to the basket. Jefferson, the franchises highest-paid free agent acquisition ever, dug in deep in the low post Friday night and the Bobcats took advantage of the 6-foot-10, 289-pound centres strength and moves Friday night. Jefferson posted season highs with 23 points and 12 rebounds, and the Bobcats handed the Milwaukee Bucks their 11th straight loss with a 92-76 victory. "We have to get him the ball deeper (in the paint) consistently if were going to beat the best teams," Clifford said. Jefferson understands that. "It helps the team and the offence when I do catch the ball a lot deeper because it makes it hard to double team and it helps with the spacing for other guys to get open," said Jefferson, who was 11 of 18 from the field. "Coach has been showing me a lot of film of it. The film dont lie." Jefferson took over in the fourth quarter in the paint, scoring 13 points with three "and-one" opportunities. He scored Charlottes first 11 points of the quarter and put the game out of reach. Its been an adjustment for the Bobcats learning how to play with a low post presence like Jefferson. And it didnt help their chemistry that Jefferson missed most of the preseason and nine regular-season games with an ankle injury. Jefferson said the ankle still isnt 100 per cent, but its getting better. "Its pain that I can tolerate," Jefferson said. "As long as Im not limping when I run. I still cant jump like I want to, but its getting better and I have to play through it." The dismal Bucks proved to be a perfect cure for the Bobcats home woes. Charlotte had lost six of its past seven at home. Gerald Henderson had another efficient game with 19 points on 7-of-13 shooting and Bismack Biyombo had a season-high 14 rebounds. The Bobcats outrebounded the Bucks 54-37 and outscored them 44-26 in the paint. Brandon Knight scored 17 points for the Bucks (2-13), who have lost seven straight games on the road. O.J. Mayo came in averaging 15.3 points for Milwaukee but was held to 5 points on 2-of-11 shooting. Charlotte built a 51-41 halftime lead after outscoring the Bucks 26-6 in the paint and shooting 58 per cent from the field. Charlotte got some solid production early from its bench, which shot 10 of 12 from the field in the first half and scored 28 points. "Our bench play was probably as good as weve had all year," Clifford said. Milwaukee got as close as six in the third quarter before the Bobcats went on an 11-1 tear to open a comfortable lead with Jefferson burying three short jump shots to push the lead back to a comfortable margin. Biyombo had sat out two of Charlottes last four games because of ineffectiveness, but made a difference in the lane. "He brought an intensity to the game," Clifford said. "If he can learn how to do that every night then he puts himself in a different place. I say that to him about twice a week and he hates it when I say it, but thats what I believe. ... Play to his talents. He has to defend and rebound and thats what he can do well." As if the Bucks didnt have enough problems, Caron Butler was a late scratch due to swelling in his knee and Ersan Ilyasova was limited in the second half because of a hamstring injury. "With no Caron and no Ersan, we were forced to go smaller," Bucks coach Larry Drew said. "The big lineup didnt have much of an effect." Drew said dealing with an 11-game losing streak isnt easy, but the Bucks need to keep playing through it and dont give up. "Weve just got to be professional, weve got to be men and weve got to stand up," Drew said. "This is the NBA, and this is life in the NBA. Theres no time to feel sorry for ourselves. The only way we get out of this hole is if we make up our minds to go out there and get out of this hole." NOTES: With Michael Kidd-Gilchrist out with plantar fasciitis in his right foot, Ben Gordon saw his first extensive playing time for Charlotte (8-9). ... Carolina Panthers coach Ron Rivera attended the game and sat a few seats down from Clifford. ... Bucks Larry Sanders, who is out with a thumb injury, was given a technical foul on the bench for arguing a call. Zac Gallen Jersey . - The Detroit Lions have 13 takeaways this season — three less than all of last season — and the defence isnt the only unit pleased with the performance. Mike Leake Jersey .C. -- Tony Stewart will not race Saturday night at Bristol Motor Speedway, the third Sprint Cup race hes skipped since his car struck and killed Kevin Ward Jr.BOSTON -- The Boston Red Sox are still looking for a position for Brock Holt. The versatile rookie has made the search difficult by playing well wherever the club has put him. Holt made his first professional start in centre field and he appeared perfectly comfortable in his fifth position this season. He made a sensational diving catch to end the third inning and scored both Boston runs in the Red Soxs 2-1 win over the Minnesota Twins 2-1 on Tuesday night. "It seems like Brock at some point in each game has an effect on whats going on," said Jon Lester, who weathered a shaky start and pitched six-plus strong innings. "Im sure well see him with catchers gear or on the mound at some point this year. The guys done an unbelievable job." Holt ended the third inning with a diving catch on a ball that left fielder Jonny Gomes lost in the twilight. Gomes signalled with his hands that he couldnt see it, but Holt was already on the move and lunged just in time to complete the catch. "Fortunately I was able to get over there and make a play," Holt said. Boston fans gave him a long ovation during his entire trot to the dugout, and teammates waited with high-fives and pats on the back on the way. Holt happened to be up next and led off with a double off the Green Monster, stole third and scored on a sacrifice fly to put the Red Sox up 2-0. "He comes out of nowhere and makes a diving catch. In a way, he took over the inning," Boston manager John Farrell said. "He doesnt get hung up on moving to a position for the first time. He goes out and plays." Holt scored Bostons first run after he singled and then came in on an RBI double by Dustin Pedroia. Lester (8-7) needed 33 pitches to get out of the first inning on a hot, muggy night, then settled down and took a shutout into the sixth. He left with one out in the seventh after striking out six and holding the Twins to one run, four hits and a walk. Edward Mujica pitched the ninth annd earned his second save. Andrew Chafin Jersey. Phil Hughes (7-3) took the loss for the Twins, who have dropped four straight. The Red Sox have held Minnesota to one run and seven hits in the first two games of the series. Hughes gave up two runs and eight hits in eight innings and struck out six. "He did all he could do. He gave us a great opportunity to win. We just couldnt come up with enough big hits," manager Ron Gardenhire said. After Danny Santana opened the game with a single,, Lester retired 13 of the next 14 batters and didnt allow another hit until Kurt Suzuki singled with one out in the fifth. Minnesota cut it to 2-1 in the sixth when Santana led off with a double, moved to third on a bunt by Brian Dozier, and scored on Joe Mauers double. "We need to knock in some runs," Gardenhire said. "We need more of them." Pedroia nearly broke open the game on a fly ball to left that was inches short of a two-run homer. Instead, it was a single, and Pedroia was caught in a rundown. The play was reviewed for several minutes, and the call on the field stood. NOTES: Holt played centre field on Tuesday and has made starts in all three outfield positions, as well as first and third base. ... Lester struck out Eduardo Escobar in the fifth inning for his 1,342nd career strikeout, passing Cy Young for fourth place on Bostons career strikeout list. ... Lester threw nearly one-third of his 109 pitches in the first inning. ... Before the game, the Red Sox designated outfielder Grady Sizemore for assignment. Sizemore returned from injuries that sidelined him between September 2011 and this season. He hit .333 in spring training, but struggled lately. In 52 games, he hit .216 with two homers and 15 RBIs. ... Minnesota RF Oswaldo Arcia went 0-for-4 and is hitless in 20 at-bats. ... Minnesota RHP Kyle Gibson (6-5, 3.55) will face Boston RHP John Lackey (8-4, 3.24) in the finale of the three-game series on Wednesday afternoon. ' ' '