NEW YORK (AP) – Dwight Howard had 32 points and 30 rebounds, becoming the first player with a 30-30 game against the Nets since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in 1978, and the Charlotte Hornets stormed back to beat Brooklyn 111-105 on Wednesday night.
Kemba Walker scored 10 of his 24 points in the fourth quarter for the Hornets, who trailed by as many 23 points in the second half to win in front of an announced crowd of 10,231 at Barclay Center while a heavy snowfall outside blanketed the New York City area.
Trailing 105-102 with 2:14 left in regulation, the Hornets went on a 9-0 run to pull off the impressive comeback.
Jeremy Lamb, who had 17 points to help end Charlotte’s two-game losing streak, made a layup to cut the deficit to 105-104. The Hornets then called a timeout after a miss by Caris LeVert with 23 seconds left. On the ensuing possession, Walker spun around Quincy Acy and capped a three-point play to put Charlotte up 107-105, the Hornets’ first lead of the night since a 16-15 advantage with 5:46 in the opening quarter.
LeVert missed a chance to tie it when he was met by Howard under the basket. Howard then hit a pair of free throws to make it 109-105.
D’Angelo Russell scored 19 points and LeVert added 11 for the Nets, whose two-game winning streak was cut short. They have yet to have won three consecutive this season.
Brooklyn used a stellar defensive effort to take a 62-43 lead into halftime before everything fell apart in the last 18 minutes of the game. The Hornets were just limited to 16-for-44 shooting from the field and committed 10 turnovers.
The Nets led 82-59 after Carroll’s layup with 6:13 left in the third quarter before the Hornets started to chip away as Howard had nine points to pace a 16-5 run to head into the fourth quarter trailing 87-75.
Charlotte then outscored the Nets 36-18 the rest of the way.
TIP-INS
Hornets: Cody Zeller remained out due to left knee soreness. He has missed his last six games. … Nicolas Batum missed his second straight game because of tendinitis in his left Achilles. Lamb again started in his place.
Nets: Rondae Hollis-Jefferson had 13 points.
UP NEXT
Hornets: Host Memphis on Thursday night.
Nets: Visit Toronto on Friday night.
