Bobcats waiting for Bell to break out of it

LOS ANGELES – Raja Bell has struggled to make shots all preseason, but that failing didn't distinguish him from the rest of the Charlotte Bobcats' guards Saturday.

Bell, Raymond Felton and D.J. Augustin combined to shoot 5-of-24 in a 91-87 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers at the Staples Center. After going 3-of-9 Saturday, Bell is 5-of-30 for the preseason.

Coach Larry Brown says he's not concerned.

"He got good shots,'' Brown said of Bell, a 3-point shooter and defensive stopper. "If he was taking bad shots then maybe I'd be concerned. But those were great looks.

"He's putting a lot of pressure on himself, but that's OK.''

The Bobcats (1-4 in the preseason) failed to score in the first five minutes of the second half to fall behind by 19. The reserves, particularly ex-Laker Vlade Radmanovic (15 points) and Alexis Ajinca (10), got the Bobcats back into the game, but a late steal by guard Jordan Farmar preserved the Lakers' victory.

"We were soft as could be at the beginning of the third and fourth quarters,'' said Brown. "They were so much more aggressive.''

Ajinca played more center than power forward, as 7-footer Gana Diop slipped out of the rotation. Diop played 3 ½ minutes, grabbing three rebounds and missing his only shot.

Augustin had a rough night, missing all six of his shots and committing five fouls and three turnovers. Felton shot 3-of-9, but he finished with 10 points, six rebounds and five assists.

The Bobcats got back power forward Boris Diaw, who missed the first four preseason exhibitions with a sprained ankle. Though Diaw (five points, two rebounds and two assists) is still getting back up to speed, his passing and hustle under the boards were apparent.

The Bobcats are still waiting on center Tyson Chandler, recovering from off-season ankle surgery. Though Chandler has been practicing, he hasn't played in an exhibition and the Bobcats don't plan to use him tonight, versus the Utah Jazz, in the second night of the Lakers' tournament (7:30 p.m. EDT).

Saturday continued a trend of technical fouls. Bell was charged with one in the second quarter for arguing about a turnover in which Bell thought he was fouled.

That follows a game in Atlanta Monday when Brown was ejected for two technicals and forwards Gerald Wallace and Radmanovic each were charged with one.

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