Field Level Media
Jan 3, 2024
Terry Rozier scored 34 points and the Charlotte Hornets ended an 11-game losing streak by rallying for a 111-104 victory over the host Sacramento Kings on Tuesday night.
Miles Bridges added 27 points for Charlotte, which concluded the game with 10 consecutive points to win for the first time since Dec. 8. P.J. Washington added 17 points off the bench for the Hornets, who shot 75 percent from the field (12 of 16) during a 36-point final quarter.
De'Aaron Fox recorded 30 points, six assists and five rebounds for the Kings, who have lost three of their past five games. Domantas Sabonis had 23 points and 19 rebounds but also committed a career-worst 11 turnovers.
Chris Duarte added 12 points and Keegan Murray scored 10 for the Kings, who committed 21 turnovers.
Cody Martin had 10 points for Charlotte, which played without rookie Brandon Miller (hip), the No. 2 overall pick in the 2023 draft.
Charlotte took a 105-104 lead on Washington's dunk with 51.5 seconds to play. Fox turned it over on the Kings' next possession and Martin's layup gave the Hornets a three-point advantage with 42.1 seconds to play.
Bridges added four free throws over the final 32.9 seconds as the Hornets closed out the victory and improved to 4-13 on the road.
The Hornets made 51.2 percent of their field-goal attempts and were 12 of 34 (35.3 percent) from behind the arc.
Sacramento shot 43.5 percent from the field, including 14 of 36 (38.9 percent) from 3-point range. The Kings held a 48-35 rebounding advantage.
A 3-pointer by Washington knotted the score at 81 with 10:03 left in the game.
The Kings scored 13 of the next 20 points to hold a 94-88 lead after Davion Mitchell's 3-pointer with 6:28 remaining.
Rozier's fastbreak layup pulled Charlotte within 94-93 before Fox scored two baskets in 31 seconds to give Sacramento a five-point lead with 4:25 left.
Rozier later buried a 3-pointer to bring the Hornets within 102-101 with 1:49 remaining. Fox responded with a basket to make it a three-point margin before Rozier made two free throws with 1:19 left to again bring Charlotte within one.
Sabonis had 13 first-half points as the Kings led 50-45 at the break. Rozier had 15 in the half for the Hornets.
Charlotte scored the last five points of the third quarter, including a dunk by Washington with 1:03 left, to trail 78-75 entering the final stanza.
--Field Level Media