Hornets end Raptors’ win streak
TORONTO — Marvin Williams dropped a 26-foot three-pointer with 8.7 seconds left in the game as the Charlotte Hornets staged a fourth-quarter rally in a 110-106 win over the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday night.
The loss snapped the Raptors’ six-game win streak and Toronto missed an opportunity to gain ground on the Atlantic Divisionleading Boston Celtics.
Former Raptor Marco Belinelli had 21 points off the Hornets’ bench, despite getting seven stitches the night before after taking a shot to the face against the Milwaukee Bucks. Kemba Walker was also instrumental for Charlotte, draining 19 points, with three three-pointers. Williams finished with 18 points.
DeMar DeRozan’s 28-point performance led the Raptors. Jonas Valancunas had a double-double with 14 points and 15 rebounds. Point guard Cory Joseph added 18 while dishing out five assists and grabbing seven rebounds.
Jeremy Lamb made a reverse lay-up with 7:47 left in the game to tie the score 82-82 for Charlotte after Toronto had led 7466 at the third intermission.
Raptors head coach Dwane Casey called a timeout to settle his team down after the play. It worked, as DeRozan hit a floating bank shot and a free throw to re-establish a three-point lead. Toronto’s Norman Powell picked up a turnover on the next Hornets possession and got a roar from the Air Canda Centre fans with a breakaway dunk.
A Walker three-point shot with 3:44 remaining made it 96-95, but Joseph came right back with a pullup jump shot that bounced around the rim and in. Williams tied it 9898 with a three on the next possession.
After an officials’ timeout, DeRozan hit a jump shot but Walker nailed a three-pointer to make it 101-100 for Charlotte. Stifling defence from the Raptors forced a shot clock violation, giving Toronto the ball.
Powell drew a foul on the ensuing possession, and made 1-of-2 free throws to tie it up again but Walker made a rainbow 26-foot three-pointer of his own to take a 104-101 lead.
Chants of M-V-P rained down as DeRozan made two free throws, but Williams hit a three-pointer to give the Hornets a 107-103 lead. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist made two free throws, followed by a Serge Ibaka three for the Raptors to make it 109-106.
Frank Kaminsky drained a free throw for the final score.
At the end of the first quarter, DeRozan made a buzzer-beating turnaround jump shot from 16 feet out to cut Charlotte’s lead to 22-19.
The Hornets pulled away in the second, leading by as much as 10 points. But, DeRozan hit another shot at the buzzer, this time a pullup jump shot from 19 feet out, to make it a 50-47 Charlotte advantage at halftime.
The Raptors returned from the locker-room with a fire lit under them after the intermission.
DeMarre Carroll made a threepointer with 7:59 left in the third as Toronto took its first lead since the first quarter, 54-53. DeRozan followed that up with a steal and a driving lay-up on the next play to add to the lead.
It was Carroll’s first game back in the Raptors lineup after he missed two straight with a sore lower back. He was day-to-day after taking a bad fall on in Toronto’s 101-84 win in Miami on March 23.
A behind-the-back pass from DeRozan fed Valanciunas, who brought the 19,800 in attendance to their feet with a slam dunk. Belinelli replied for the Hornets with a three-pointer to make it 74-66 at the end of the third.
Notes: Singer-songwriter Shawn Mendes of Pickering, Ont., was courtside for the game, as was tennis superstar Milos Raonic of Thornhill, Ont.