Charlotte Hornets pick up much-needed road win in OKC, 116-103
The Charlotte Hornets had six players score in double-figures to help lead them past the Big 3 of the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Charlotte Hornets (10-16) were able to defeat the Oklahoma City Thunder (12-14) as they snapped their three-game losing streak. After losing eight straight road games, Charlotte picked up only their second win away from home this season. Dwight Howard and Kemba Walker both came up big for the Hornets while Russell Westbrook fell short of a triple-double.
Charlotte was without Cody Zeller and Nicolas Batum in this one. Zeller is set to be out for six to eight weeks as he recovers from meniscus surgery while Batum was out with left elbow soreness. It’s unclear when Nic will return but it’s worth noting that the soreness is in the same elbow in which he injured during the preseason. Frank Kaminsky returned for the Hornets after a one-game absence with an ankle sprain.
Game Story
This was a fairly close game until the third quarter. After a monstrous dunk by Russell Westbrook that tied the game at 66 with 5:56 left in the third period, Charlotte broke the game open as they went on a 22-2 run in about three minutes of game time. The Hornets ended up scoring 40 points in the third which was their highest scoring third quarter of the season and their second-highest scoring quarter of the year. Stephen Silas said that he wanted his team to shoot 27 three-pointers in this one. Well, they got close to that mark firing up 25 three’s. They made 13 and shot 52% from deep.
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Player of the Game
Marvin Williams had his best game of the season as he finished with 18 points and seven rebounds. The stretch four was efficient with his scoring as he shot 62.5% (5-8) from the field and 80% (4-5) from three. If Charlotte wants to get back into the playoff race, they will need big games from role players like Marvin going forward.
Dwight Howard scored a team-high 23 points while grabbing seven boards. Kemba Walker was close to a double-double with 19 points and nine assists while Michael Kidd-Gilchrist added 17 points. Jeremy Lamb, who started in place of Nic Batu, put up 14 points. Treveon Graham led Charlotte’s second unit with 12 points off of the bench.
The Thunder were led by reigning MVP Russell Westbrook as he ended with 30 points to go along with seven assists and four rebounds. Parul George scored 20 points while Carmelo Anthony was held to only 11 points on 5-12 shooting from the field. Steven Adams recorded a double-double with 11 points and 10 boards.
Highlight of the Night:
Tweet of the Game:
"Quick Stings"
- Marvin scored a season-high 18 points.
- Treveon Graham tied a career-high with 12 points.
- Dwight scored 20+ points for the 11th time this season.
- Charlotte’s second unit outscored OKC’s bench, 25-19
- This game featured nine lead changes and eight ties.
With the win, Charlotte improves to 1-0 versus Oklahoma City on the season. The Hornets have now won three straight games against the Thunder and two consecutive in OKC. The two sides will meet once more this season on January 13th.
Next: A close look at Dwight Howard's poor post play
In their next outing, the Hornets will face off against the Houston Rockets on Wednesday, December 13th. It will be their second and final meeting this year after James Harden led his side to victory in the Queen City on October 27th. Charlotte will look to get a statement win over one of the best teams in the NBA on their quest back to .500.