CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Stephen Jackson has been hurt before, but never like this.
A frustrating, off-and-on again left hamstring injury has the Bobcats' top scorer sidelined again. Without him, Charlotte's flickering playoff hopes might soon be extinguished.
Jackson sat out the majority of practice on Monday. Two days earlier he was unable to play against San Antonio in the Bobcats' third straight loss. Jackson missed three games earlier this month with the same injury, which flared up again last week.
Jackson is holding out hope of playing in Wednesday's crucial game against Indiana. The Bobcats trailed the Pacers by 1½ games for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference before Indiana's game at New Jersey Monday night.