Hornets 104, Nets 96
NEW YORK -- Guard Kemba Walker scored 28 points and the Charlotte Hornets ran their season-high winning streak to five games with a 104-96 victory over the Brooklyn Nets Sunday night.
Walker picked up his first road win against the Nets by shooting 11 of 18 from the field and making four 3-pointers. The Hornets had been 0-4 on the road in games Walker played against the Nets, and the New York native was injured last year when Charlotte had a 14-point win in Brooklyn.
Walker exceeded his scoring average of 25.8 points during Charlotte's previous four games by scoring 12 points in the third quarter and adding seven points in the fourth to help the Hornets fend off a late Brooklyn charge.
While Walker nearly reached 30 points for the ninth time, others helped the Hornets (29-26) win for the sixth time in seven games. Reserve center Al Jefferson made his first five shots and added 18 points while guard Nicolas Batum contributed 16 as the Hornets shot 50.6 percent.
Forward Joe Johnson led the Nets with 17 points and center Brook Lopez added 16. Forward Thaddeus Young contributed 14 but the Nets struggled outside the paint and especially on the perimeter by misfiring on 17 of 22 3-point attempts.
The Nets cut a 16-point deficit to 95-91 on a dunk by Lopez with 4:42 left. On the next possession, Walker drove around reserve guard Markel Brown and Lopez for a nifty finger roll layup to reach 25 points.
After Walker's layup, Charlotte forced consecutive turnovers and took a 99-91 lead on two free throws by Batum with 3:11 left. After a missed 3-pointer by Johnson, Walker was on the verge of crossing over Lopez but center Cody Zeller was called for an offensive foul.
After allowing the Nets to get back in the game with a 15-4 run, Batum ended the first half with a buzzer beating 3-pointer. Charlotte upped the lead to 86-70 before Lopez ended the third with a 3-pointer at the buzzer.
NOTES: Interim coach Tony Brown said F Andrea Bargnani expressed an interest in parting ways with the Nets. The former top overall pick of the 2006 draft was waived Saturday after signing the veteran's minimum last July and Brooklyn is expected to buy out his contract. ... Charlotte coach Steve Clifford said newly acquired G Courtney Lee has enough of a feel for the team's system to be inserted into the starting lineup after not playing in Friday's win over Milwaukee. ... Hornets F/C Spencer Hawes (sore lower back) missed his second consecutive game and Clifford said he could be out a while. ... By waiving Bargnani, the Nets have an open roster spot but Brown said he has not had discussions with the front office about filling it.