By The Associated Press

ORLANDO – The Orlando Magic’s slide keeps getting worse.

Gerald Wallace scored 22 points and rookie Emeka Okafor registered his 36th double-double of the season with 23 points and 10 rebounds, leading the Charlotte Bobcats to a 108-94 win over Orlando on Thursday as the Magic lost for the ninth time in 10 games.

The expansion Bobcats beat the Magic for the second time in four days and won on the road for just the third time.

Magic rookies Dwight Howard and Jameer Nelson also registered double-doubles, but Orlando faltered in the middle of the fourth quarter. Howard had 15 points and 14 rebounds, while Nelson had 18 points and a season-high 13 assists. Grant Hill led the Magic with 28 points.

Grizzlies 105, Nets 96

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Lorenzen Wright and Jason Williams each scored 20 points and the Memphis Grizzlies shot 70 percent in the first half to end the New Jersey Nets’ five-game winning streak with a 105-96 victory.

James Posey added 12, Bonzi Wells had 11 and Earl Watson and Pau Gasol each had 10 as Memphis won for the ninth time in 12 games.

Vince Carter led the Nets with 22, Nenad Krstic had 21 and Rodney Buford 15. Jason Kidd had 12 points and 12 assists.

Watson hit a 3-pointer with 6:04 remaining to make it 88-84, Cliff Robinson missed a 3-point heave on New Jersey’s next possession and the Nets sagged. Gasol hit consecutive baskets on a layup and a hook shot as the Grizzlies ran off 10 straight points for a 95-84 lead.

Memphis, ahead by one entering the fourth, threatened to break the game open with 9-2 run to start the period for an 83-75 lead. Wells led the way with four points in the run. New Jersey battled back on consecutive 3-pointers by Kidd and Carter to trim the Memphis lead to two.

The Grizzlies shot exceptionally well in the first period (10-of-14 from the field, including 4-of-6 from 3-point range) but held only a 26-24 lead. The Nets rallied late, scoring the final seven points of the period as Robinson and Buford hit 3-pointers.

The Nets eventually opened a 36-28 lead, but Memphis stayed close behind 10 second-quarter points from Williams.

The Nets’ bench kept them in the game as Buford matched Williams with 10 points in the period, including an 18-foot jumper with 0.6 seconds remaining that gave the Nets a 55-53 lead at the half.

The game remained close throughout the third quarter with three lead changes and three ties. Miller hit a 3-pointer to give Memphis a 74-73 lead at the end of the period.

Notes: Williams made his first eight shots from the field, including a trio of 3-pointers. His first miss came with 6:41 left in the third. … Nets coach Lawrence Frank has no timetable for the return of forward Richard Jefferson (ruptured left wrist ligament) and guard Ron Mercer (lower back strain). “He continues to rehab but it’s going to a lengthy process,” Frank said of Jefferson. Mercer receives treatment from a chiropractor and a physical therapist. … Grizzlies coach Mike Fratello will gradually work center Pau Gasol back into the rotation. Gasol played in his second straight game after missing 23 with plantar fascitis. “He’s going through a different kind of pain,” Fratello said of the transition back to the daily grind of playing and practicing. Gasol wound up playing 24 minutes.

AP-ES-03-24-05 2219EST