Walker scores 31 as Hornets rout Suns
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Kemba Walker had 31 points and nine assists, and the Charlotte Hornets rolled to a 120-106 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Sunday afternoon at the Spectrum Center.
The Hornets pounced on the Suns quickly, racing to leads of 17-1, 22-3 and 30-7 before eventually leading 38-18 after one quarter. The Hornets went on to lead by as many as 25 in what was their second wire-to-wire victory of the season.
Charlotte (33-40) has won four of its last five and continues to hang around in the Eastern Conference playoff race with nine games remaining.
Phoenix's Devin Booker, in his first game since scoring 70 points in a 130-120 loss at Boston on Friday night, finished with 23 points on 7-of-17 shooting from the field. He scored just three points in the first quarter as the Hornets took control.
The Hornets also got 21 points from Marvin Williams, 18 points and 10 assists from Nicolas Batum, 16 points from Cody Zeller, 14 points from Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, and 10 points from Frank Kaminski.
The Hornets were 14 of 30 from 3-point range with Williams hitting five and Walker four.
The Suns (22-52) have lost eight straight and 10 of their last 11.
T.J. Warren had 21 points and 10 rebounds. Tyler Ulis scored 16, Marquese Chriss 13, Jared Dudley 12 and Alan Williams 11.
The Hornets led 8-0 just 1:23 into the game. They shot 56.5 percent from the field with four 3-pointers in the quarter, while the Suns committed seven turnovers.
The Hornets went on to lead 69-47 at halftime and 98-80 after three quarters. Phoenix got as close as 105-101 in the final five minute before the Hornets reasserted themselves.
NOTES: The Suns won the only previous game between the teams this season, 120-103, in Phoenix on March 2. ... Suns G Devin Booker's 70 points against Boston made him the youngest player in NBA history to score 70 or more. He was 21 of 40 from the field and 24 of 26 from the free-throw line. ... Only five other players in NBA history have scored 70 or more: Wilt Chamberlain, Kobe Bryant, David Thompson, David Robinson and Elgin Baylor. ... The Suns were without F Dragan Bender (ankle), G Ronnie Price (leg), G Eric Bledsoe (rest), C Tyson Chandler (rest) and G Brandon Knight (rest). But they got back F T.J. Warren after he missed the previous two games. ... The Hornets were without F Johnny O'Bryant (ankle) and G Ramon Sessions (knee). ... The Suns were playing the fifth game on a six-game Eastern road trip. They will close out the trip on Tuesday at Atlanta. ... The Hornets will host Milwaukee on Tuesday to close out a three-game homestand.