Steph and the Warriors Outlast Kemba Walker and the Charlotte Hornets, 113-103

The Charlotte Hornets dropped their second consecutive game as they lost a heartbreaker to Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors.

The Charlotte Hornets (23-23) were defeated by the Golden State Warriors (39-7) in one of the most exciting games of the season. Steve Clifford’s side kept it close at home as Kemba Walker led the way for the Hornets but a late run for Kevin Durant and the Warriors was too much to overcome. In one of the Hornets only nationally televised games of the season, they proved that they could play with the best.

Charlotte was a bit shorthanded as they were without Cody Zeller who missed the game due to a quad contusion. Jeremy Lamb missed his seventh straight game with metatarsal inflammation. On top of that, Kemba Walker was dealing with an illness and despite being a game-time decision, he played 38 minutes. Frank Kaminsky was also dealing with a nasal fracture but he played through the injury.

Turning Point

The Hornets were in this one until the end and the final score does not reflect how close the game actually was. They even led by 10 points in the third period. Charlotte led 94-91 with 6:03 left in the fourth quarter but the Warriors closed the game on a 22-9 run led by Kevin Durant who scored 18 points in the final 8:32 of the final period. Golden State ended up outscoring Charlotte 38-23 in the fourth.

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Who Stepped Up

Kemba Walker led the Hornets as he finished with a team-high 26 points and eight assists. Nicolas Batum had his typical all-around game with 16 points, eight assists, and six rebounds. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist nearly had a double-double with 15 points and nine boards.

Marco Belinelli added 14 points off the bench while Marvin Williams chipped in with 14 points and five rebounds. Spencer Hawes recorded a double-double with 10 points and 13 boards on the night.

The Warriors were led by Kevin Durant who scored a game-high 33 points. Stephen Curry had 28 points and six assists in his return to his hometown of Charlotte. Klay Thompson ended with 19 points in this one. The big four was rounded out by Draymond Green who scored 13 points to go along with six assists and four rebounds.

Play of the Game:

Tweet of the Game:

"Quick Stings"

• Kemba scored or assisted on 21 of the Hornets’ 33 third quarter points.
• Charlotte out-rebounded Golden State 43-41.
• The Hornets’ bench outscored the Warriors’ second unit 26-18.
• This game featured five lead changes and three ties.
• Charlotte shot (38-92) 41.3% from the field and (7-23) 30.4% from the three-point line.

With the loss, the Hornets dropped to 0-1 in their season series with the Warriors. They will meet once more this year on February 1st at Oracle Arena. Charlotte has now lost five straight games to Golden State spanning back to the 2014-15 season.

Next: Four Trades to Help the Charlotte Hornets

In their next game, the Charlotte Hornets will hit the road to take on the New York Knicks. It will be the third meeting between the two sides so far this season as they split the first two. Even though they lost against Golden State, the strong showing should give them some confidence as they head into Madison Square Garden.