Hornets overtake Jazz in fourth quarter
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Kemba Walker scored 21 points, and the Charlotte Hornets took control down the stretch to beat the Utah Jazz 104-98 Wednesday night at the Spectrum Center.
Walker scored nine of his points in the final 3:59, including five straight in during a stretch in which the Hornets pulled out to a 98-91 lead. Charlotte trailed much of the game but led by as many as 10 in the closing minutes.
The Hornets (6-1) earned their fourth consecutive win, while the Jazz (5-4) had a two-game winning streak snapped.
Five other Hornets scored in double figures. Marvin Williams scored 19 and had eight rebounds, hitting five 3-pointers. Frank Kaminsky and Marco Belinelli scored 13 each, Cody Zeller finished with 12 and Spencer Hawes contributed 11.
Gordon Hayward led the Jazz with 29 points. Rodney Hood scored 20, Derrick Favors had 16 points and 10 rebounds, and Trey Lyles scored 10. Rudy Gobert had seven points and 11 rebounds.
The Jazz finished 8 of 34 (23.5 percent) from 3-point range after coming into the game ranked second in the NBA in 3-point percentage at 40.2 percent.
Utah led by as many as 10 in the first half and was on top 58-51 at halftime. The Jazz shot 54.5 percent from the field in the half despite going only 4 of 19 from 3-point range; they were 20 of 25 from inside the arc. Hayward had 17 at the break.
Utah led 78-76 after three quarters.
The Hornets took the lead for good at 86-85 with 7:21 left on a Kaminsky layup. They wound up outscoring the Jazz 28-20 in the fourth quarter.
NOTES: The Hornets were missing C Roy Hibbert (knee soreness) for the fifth straight game and G Jeremy Lamb (strained hamstring) for the fourth straight game. ... The Jazz were without G George Hill (sprained thumb) for the second straight game and F Boris Diaw (leg contusion) for the sixth time. ... The Hornets lead the league in fewest turnovers, averaging 11.7 per game. The gave the ball away just nine times Wednesday. ... Jazz F Gordon Hayward (22-for-22) and Hornets G Marco Belinelli (12-for-12) are perfect from the free-throw line this season. Hayward was 6-for-6 Wednesday, and Belinelli was 2-for-2. ... The Hornets will close out a three-game homestand on Friday against the Toronto Raptors. ... The Jazz will play at Orlando on Friday, then will close out a five-game road trip at Miami on Saturday.