Mashburn, Hornets Have Their Way

Jamal Mashburn is the star of the Charlotte Hornets, he has lifted his team back into the Eastern Conference playoffs and his mother is successfully battling colon cancer.

For Mashburn, things couldn’t be any better.

Mashburn scored 31 points Sunday to lead Charlotte to an 85-78 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference semifinals, evening the best-of-seven series at 2-2. Game 5 is Tuesday at Milwaukee.

Mashburn, who scored 36 in Game 3, became the first Hornet to score 30 or more points in consecutive playoff appearances and helped Charlotte win two second-round games for the first time in franchise history.

“I’m just a guy playing, just out there doing his job,” Mashburn said. “And I like doing it here. There’s a lot of camaraderie and everyone’s really upbeat and everyone likes each other. The last time I could say that was in college at Kentucky, so I guess this is the happiest I’ve been since then.”

Making it more special for Mashburn was that his mother, Helen, who has battled colon cancer all season, was able to sit courtside as part of a Mother’s Day special. It was only her third game this year because her illness has prevented her from traveling.

But Sunday, she watched her son shed every defense the Bucks tried while scoring on five of six possessions down the stretch to secure the victory.

“I think Mash is opening some eyes,” Charlotte Coach Paul Silas said.

The Bucks hurt themselves by committing 24 turnovers and only making one field goal in a five-minute stretch of the fourth quarter. They also shot seven for 22 from three-point range, seven for 16 from the free-throw line and had poor shooting games from almost everyone.

Ray Allen scored 19 and Glenn Robinson had 17, but Sam Cassell and Scott Williams only scored eight points each and Darvin Ham failed to score or get a rebound.