Field Level Media
Dec 23, 2021
Kelly Oubre Jr. scored 14 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter as the visiting Charlotte Hornets came from behind to beat the Denver Nuggets 115-107 on Thursday night.
Terry Rozier scored 17 and Miles Bridges and LaMelo Ball each had 16 points for the Hornets, who rallied from a 19-point, third-quarter deficit to break a three-game losing streak. P.J. Washington scored 13 and Jalen McDaniels had 12.
Nikola Jokic had 29 points and a season-high 21 rebounds, Facundo Campazzo scored 12 and Jeff Green, Vlatko Cancar, Will Barton and Austin Rivers had 11 each for Denver, which was outscored 38-13 in the fourth quarter.
The Nuggets looked to be in control after three quarters, up by 17 points, but Charlotte dominated the fourth.
Oubre hit a 3-pointer, added a four-point play and then completed a three-point play to get Charlotte within 96-87. After Jokic hit a floating jumper with 7:47 to go in the period, the Hornets went on a 10-1 run to tie it at 99.
Campazzo sank two free throws, but a bucket by Oubre and a 3-pointer from Washington gave Charlotte a 104-101 lead with 3:16 left.
The Nuggets tied it at 105 on Green's tip-in, but Washington hit another 3-pointer to put the Hornets ahead 108-105 with 1:20 left.
Ish Smith sealed it with a corner 3-pointer with 39.1 seconds left.
Charlotte started the night strong and led 20-9 before Denver closed within 27-26 at the end of the first quarter.
The Nuggets turned things around in the second. Trailing 43-40 midway through, they stormed ahead on three straight baskets by Green. Jokic scored the next six Denver points, and Campazzo and Monte Morris had 3-pointers in a 19-2 run.
Campazzo hit another 3-pointer, and Denver led 65-52 at intermission.
Charlotte tried to climb back in the third quarter. Rozier hit a 3-pointer and Ball made a layup and a 12-footer to cut the deficit to 71-61. The Nuggets responded with a layup from Jokic and five straight points by Barton to make it 78-61.
Denver increased the lead to 94-77 heading into the fourth.
--Field Level Media