Miles Bridges paces double-figure scoring surge, as Hornets rout Pelicans

Miles Bridges scored 26 points to lead 7 Charlotte scorers in double figures as the hot-shooting Hornets defeated the host New Orleans Pelicans 142-120 on Friday night.

Terry Rozier added 25 points, LaMelo Ball 17, Montrezl Harrell 16, Cody Martin 15, Isaiah Thomas 14 and Kelly Oubre Jr. 10 for the Hornets, who shot 59.8 percent from the floor, including 46.8 percent on 3-pointers. They had 41 assists on 52 field goals.

Charlotte had won just three of its previous 10 games but took command by outscoring New Orleans 42-27 in the 3rd quarter.

For New Orleans, rookie Trey Murphy III had season-highs of 32 points (making seven 3-pointers) and 9 rebounds, Devonte' Graham scored 19 points, Willy Hernangomez added 15, Naji Marshall 14, Jaxson Hayes 13, Herbert Jones 12 and Jonas Valanciunas 10 to lead the short-handed Pelicans, who lost their 4th consecutive game.

New Orleans played its 3rd consecutive game without leading scorer Brandon Ingram, who is sidelined by a hamstring strain. Second-leading scorer CJ McCollum, who had scored 32 points in each of the first 2 games that Ingram missed, also was sidelined after entering the health and safety protocol Thursday.

The Hornets began the 3rd quarter with a 16-4 run to open a 77-59 lead with 8:57 left in the period.

The Pelicans got within 14 points on Murphy's 3-pointer midway through the quarter, but Rozier made a 3-pointer and Oubre two 3-pointers as Charlotte expanded its lead to 103-82 at the end of the period.

The score was tied four times and the lead changed hands four times during the first quarter. Ball's free throw broke the final tie and gave the Hornets a 25-24 lead at the end of the period.

The second quarter featured 10 lead changes and two ties before Harrell's 3-point play broke the final tie and started a 10-0 Charlotte run.

Hayes scored the Pelicans' final six points to trim the Hornets' lead to 61-55 at halftime.

-reuters-

NBA: Miles Bridges helps Hornets edge Warriors

Miles Bridges scored 22 points and LaMelo Ball had 21 as the Charlotte Hornets edged the visiting Golden State Warriors 106-102 on Sunday night.

The big contribution came from Terry Rozier, who scored all 20 of his points in the second half as the Hornets stretched their winning streak to three games.

The Warriors, who lost for just the second time in 13 games, had a seven-game winning streak snapped. They're 3-1 in road games.

Andrew Wiggins poured in 28 points and Stephon Curry, playing in his hometown, had 24 points for the Warriors. Jordan Poole added 13 points and Draymond Green 11. Curry was just 3-for-13 on 3-pointers.

There were 27 lead changes in the game.

Rozier's 3-point play put the Hornets up 102-98 with 2:24 left. The Warriors scored the next two baskets, with Green's dunk tying the game at the 44-second mark.

Bridges put Charlotte back in front on the next possession. Golden State's Kevin Looney then missed two foul shots.

Rozier countered with two free throws for the game's final points.

Cody Martin and Kelly Oubre Jr. scored 12 and 10 points, respectively, off the bench for Charlotte.

It was a close game throughout. In the second half, the margin never was wider than four points -- and that happened just three times (once in the third quarter and twice down the stretch in the fourth quarter).

Charlotte's 47-41 lead marked the widest margin for either team.

The teams were tied at 63, 65, 68, 70, 74 and 77, all in the third quarter.

Then the Hornets went a stretch of more than three minutes with just one field goal, but launched into the lead at 81-80 on Bridges' basket.

Curry's second 3 in the final 70 seconds of the third quarter put the Warriors up 88-87 going to the fourth.

Fittingly, the score was 57-57 at halftime. Ball had 19 points by the break, hitting four 3-pointers.

The Warriors shot just 6-for-21 on 3s in the first half.

-reuters-