Hornets edge Nets with balanced attack
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Kemba Walker, Marco Belinelli and Nicolas Batum scored 17 points apiece as the Charlotte Hornets snapped a seven-game losing streak with a 111-107 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday night at the Spectrum Center.
The Hornets got well at the expense of the worst team in the NBA, handing the Nets their 10th straight defeat.
The Hornets pulled out to a 17-point halftime lead and never trailed from there, but had to turn back a late Brooklyn rally that got as close as two in the final minute. It took four free throws by Belinelli in the final 15 seconds to seal the win.
Charlotte (24-28) lost 12 of its previous 15 games.
The Hornets also got 16 points from Jeremy Lamb, 14 each from Marvin Williams and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, and 12 points and 11 rebounds from Frank Kaminsky. They won despite shooting 39.2 percent from the field, with Walker going 4 of 20 and Kaminsky 4 of 17.
Brooklyn (9-43) lost 21 of its last 22 games.
Bojan Bogdanovic led the Nets with 22 points. Brook Lopez scored 20, Joe Harris 12, Isaiah Whitehead 11 and Trevor Booker 10.
The Hornets weren't able to notch their first wire-to-wire victory of the season, but took control quickly. They went on a 12-0 run early and led 24-16 after one quarter. They pushed the lead up to 54-37 at halftime.
The Nets shot 27.3 percent from the field in the first quarter and were up to only 31.7 percent at halftime with 11 turnovers. The Hornets shot 40.7 percent in the half.
The Hornets led 81-72 after three quarters.
NOTES: This was the fourth and final meeting between the teams this season. The Hornets won 99-95 in Brooklyn on Nov. 3, the Nets won 120-118 in Brooklyn on Dec. 26, and the Hornets won 112-105 in Charlotte on Jan. 21. ... The Nets were without G Jeremy Lin (strained hamstring), F Quincy Acy (sprained ankle) and G Caris LeVert (sore knee). ... The Hornets were without G Ramon Sessions (torn lateral meniscus) and C Cody Zeller (quad contusion). ... The Hornets were coming off a 105-98 loss at Utah on Saturday, which ended a winless three-game road trip. ... The Nets were coming off a 103-95 home loss to Toronto on Sunday. ... With 18 points against Utah on Saturday, Hornets G Kemba Walker moved up to second on the Hornets' all-time scoring list. ... The Nets will return home to face Washington on Wednesday. ... The Hornets were starting a four-game home stand. They will host Houston on Thursday.