"The raw numbers alone are less than striking: The Charlotte Bobcats average 3.4 fewer points in the third quarter than their opponents.

But the players know better. For some reason, the Bobcats become listless and mistake-prone in the third quarter in a way that has handicapped them all season.

The final nine minutes of the third quarter Monday, the Cleveland Cavaliers burned through all of the Bobcats' 14-point lead. That was good for a 102-94 victory in a game the Bobcats lost more than the Cavaliers won."