NBA Game Summary - Charlotte at Milwaukee
Milwaukee, WI (SportsNetwork.com) - Kemba Walker poured in 27 points to lead the resurgent Charlotte Hornets to a fourth straight victory, a 108-101 decision over the Milwaukee Bucks at the Bradley Center.
Five other Charlotte players finished in double figures as the Hornets extended their season-best win streak, which followed a 2-14 stretch. Gerald Henderson chipped in 20 points, Al Jefferson had 12 along with nine rebounds and Marvin Williams went 4-of-5 from 3-point range in a 12-point effort off the bench.
"They're a good team," said Charlotte coach Steve Clifford. "They beat us up- and-down the floor, which we've been good at, but we are able to stay in there and make the plays we needed."
The Bucks dropped a seventh straight game to Charlotte despite a season-high 34 points from Brandon Knight. Khris Middleton and Giannis Antetokounmpo finished with 12 and 11, respectively, in the loss.
A strong finish carried the Hornets to this latest win. Charlotte was clinging to a one-point lead late in the third quarter before embarking on an 11-2 run, during which Williams buried a key triple and Walker netted the final four points to stake his team to an 86-76 advantage with 1:20 remaining in the period.
Knight got the Bucks back in it, however, accounting for all of Milwaukee's points during an 8-1 surge that cut an 11-point deficit with under three minutes left down to four. His trey with 25.9 seconds to go pulled the Bucks within 103-99.
Milwaukee came up empty on its next two possessions, though, and Henderson and Walker sealed the result by hitting 5-of-6 free throws in the closing moments.
"We didn't have any rhythm offensively," said Bucks head coach Jason Kidd. "We turned the ball over, we missed a lot of shots. Everytime we tried to make a run we turned it over and when you do that, it puts you behind the 8-ball and that's what happened tonight."
Charlotte was up by six just over three minutes into the second quarter when the Bucks put together their best run of the night, a 14-2 sequence led by the bench that opened up a 49-43 lead with 4:57 remaining in the half. The Hornets answered with six straight to pull even, but Knight's triple 2.4 seconds prior to the intermission had Milwaukee ahead 56-54 at the break.
An 8-0 push capped by a Henderson jumper gave Charlotte a 71-64 edge midway through the third quarter. However, 3-pointers by Knight and Jared Dudley ignited a 10-4 stretch that had Milwaukee trailing by just one with 3:47 left in the frame.
The Bucks had a 30-28 lead after one quarter behind 10 points from Knight, but the Hornets scored the first seven points of the second to pull in front.