Hornets pull out victory over Nets
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Nicolas Batum converted a four-point play and hit another 3-pointer in a span of 31 seconds down the stretch, and the Charlotte Hornets pulled out a 112-105 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday night at the Spectrum Center.
Batum hit a 3-pointer, was fouled and converted the free throw to give the Hornets the lead for good at 101-98 with 3:21 left. Then he hit another 3-pointer on the Hornets' next possession to push the lead to 104-98 with 2:50 remaining. The Hornets pushed the lead to nine from there and never let the Nets closer than five again.
The Hornets (23-21) won their third straight after a recent five-game losing streak.
They went on a 16-0 run early in the game, and led by as many as 17 in the first quarter. But they blew that entire lead and had to come from behind in the fourth quarter.
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist finished with 17 points and 14 rebounds, and Ramon Sessions also scored 17. Batum and Kemba Walker finished with 16 each, Marco Belinelli scored 14, Cody Zeller scored 12, and Frank Kaminsky scored 10.
The Nets (9-34) continue to have the worst record in the NBA. They got their first win of the month on Friday night by routing New Orleans.
Brook Lopez led the Nets with 24 points. Bojan Bogdanovic scored 16, Quincy Acy 14, Sean Kilpatrick 13 and Randy Foye 11.
The Nets were 17 of 41 from 3-point range.
The Hornets led 28-14 after one quarter and 60-46 at halftime. The score was tied 81-81 after three quarters.
NOTES: The teams had split two previous games this season. The Hornets won 99-95 in Brooklyn on Nov. 4, and the Nets won 120-118 in Brooklyn on Dec. 26. The teams will play one more time, in Charlotte on Feb. 7. ... The Nets were without G Jeremy Lin (strained hamstring) and G Joe Harris (sprained ankle). ... The Hornets were without G Jeremy Lamb (metatarsal inflammation). ... Both teams were playing on the second night of back-to-backs. The Nets won at New Orleans 143-114 on Friday, snapping an 11-game losing streak. The Hornets routed Toronto 113-78 at home. ... The Hornets' 35-point win over Toronto was their biggest margin of victory since they beat Miami by 39 in 2010, oddly enough, also on Jan. 20. ... This was the third game of a five-game homestand for the Hornets. They will host Washington on Monday. ... The Nets will return home to face San Antonio on Monday.