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Hornets erase 24-point 3rd quarter deficit to beat Bucks in season opener

Jason Getz / USA Today Sports

It was shaping up as an embarrassing beginning to the new Charlotte Hornets era. 

In front of a spirited home crowd, the Hornets were laying an egg. They were trailing 74-50 midway through the third quarter to a young Milwaukee Bucks team that won all of 15 games last season. 

But after a 13-0 Bucks run that had fans pining for the good old Bobcats days, the Hornets snapped out of it, locked down on defense and began chipping away. They finished the quarter on an 18-9 run to stay within striking distance. 

From there on out, the Hornets rode their point guard and emotional leader Kemba Walker, along with a surging crowd, to the biggest comeback in franchise history. With the Hornets trailing 95-82, Walker poured in 10 points in the game's last four minutes, including a game-trying pull-up triple with one tick remaining.  

Overtime was a see-saw, with no team leading by more than two points. Bucks guard Khris Middleton knocked down two clutch mid-range jumpers, while Hornets forward Marvin Williams countered with two 20-footers of his own. 

The Hornets had possession with five seconds left and the game tied at 106, and once again it was Kemba with the ball in his hands. To anyone who watched him play at UConn, the result was delightfully familiar.  

Middleton actually got a clean, game-winning look from deep just before time expired, but he caught back iron and the Hornets walked off with the 108-106 opening-night win. 

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