After missing two games, Kemba Walker returned to score 29 points as the Charlotte Hornets picked up a much-needed win over Orlando.
The Charlotte Hornets (9-13) were able to defeat the Orlando Magic (10-15) as they put an end to their four-game losing streak. Despite still being under .500, Charlotte continues their strong play at home as they are now 8-3 at the Spectrum Center so far this season. Kemba Walker didn’t miss a step as he scored 29 points after missing two games with a left shoulder contusion.
The Hornets were without their head coach as Steve Clifford missed the game with an illness. Associate head coach, Stephen Silas, filled in for Clifford on the sideline. For the first time this season, every player on Charlotte’s roster was active. Two-way players, Marcus Paige and Mangok Mathiang, weren’t with the team as they continue their stint with the Greensboro Swarm.
Game Story
Although Charlotte held a lead for most of the game, it was a one-point game with 9:50 left in the fourth quarter. The Hornets then went on a 9-0 run to extend their lead to 10 and the home team never looked back. They ended up outscoring the Orlando, 29-20, in the final period as they closed the game strong. Charlotte easily won the free throw battle which may very well have likely won them the game. Kemba shot as many free throws as the entire Magic team and made two more. All 10 Hornets’ players that saw minutes, recorded at least one steal.
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Player of the Game
Kemba Walker finished with a game-high 29 points to go along with seven assists and three steals. Even though he struggled from deep shooting only 1-8, the all-star point guard made the most of his free throw going 14-14 from the charity stripe. He committed zero turnovers in 34 minutes.
Both Frank Kaminsky and Dwight Howard nearly recorded double-doubles. The Tank ended the game with 14 points and nine rebounds while D12 had 12 points and nine boards. Jeremy Lamb added 12 points off of the bench. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist put up 11 points and eight rebounds. Nicolas Batum grabbed his first double-double of the season with 11 points and 11 boards.
The Magic were led by Evan Fournier who scored a team-high 18 points. Jonathon Simmons chipped in with 15 points and six rebounds while Aaron Gordon was held to only 14 points. D.J. Augustin (13), Elfrid Payton (11) and Nikola Vucevic (10) rounded out Orlando’s double-figure scorers.
Highlight of the Night:
Tweet of the Game:
"Quick Stings"
- For the first time since November 18th (seven games) Charlotte held their opponents under 100 points.
- Kemba made a season-high 14 free throws.
- The Hornets recorded a season-high 13 steals.
- Dwight passed Dikembe Mutombo for 19th all-time on the NBA rebounding list.
- Walker recorded his 200th career game with 20+ points.
With the win, Charlotte improves to 2-0 in their season series against Orlando. Dating back to 2016, the Hornets have now won nine straight games versus the Magic. The two divisional rivals will next meet on February 14th.
Next: It's time for Charlotte to unleash Malik Monk
In their next outing, the Hornets are set to host Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday, December 6th. Charlotte will look to get a statement win on national TV (ESPN) against the defending NBA champions.