Walker scores 34 as Hornets end Magic win streak

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — General manager Rich Cho’s decision to pair Kemba Walker with Dwight Howard is off to a rousing start in Charlotte.

The Hornets’ All-Star point guard is meshing extremely well with an eight-time All-Star center looking to jumpstart his NBA career while playing for his third team in three seasons.

Walker had 34 points and 10 assists, Howard had 22 points and 10 rebounds, and the Hornets defeated Orlando 120-113 on Sunday night to snap the Magic’s three-game win streak.

On two occasions, Walker found Howard for an alley-oop dunk — and the pick-and-roll has opened more avenues for Walker to score.

Walker credits the duo’s early success to constant communication with Howard, saying they talk at length after every game and practice. Walker also said they text constantly during off days.

“We are trying to make sure we are on the same page,” Walker said. “I tell him I am going to be learning ways to get him the basketball and just be patient with me. And that is what he has been doing. And he’s opening up so many other aspects of my game. He attracts so much attention and gets other people open.”

The Hornets are 3-3 despite starting the season without injured Nic Batum, the team’s highest-paid player.

Howard likes that he and Walker are cut from the same competitive cloth.

“It’s good that both of the leaders on the team have that chemistry together — and it’s only building,” Howard said.

Orlando entered averaging 118 points per game — second-most in the NBA behind Golden State — and having scored at least 100 in all five games.

Charlotte was just better, though.

The Hornets led by as many as 16 in the second half, but Orlando cut the lead to 95-92 with nine minutes remaining.

That’s when Walker took over, knocking down a 3-pointer and scoring — plus a foul — on a drive past former teammate Bismack Biyombo. Walker then drove into the lane and dished to Marvin Williams for an easy score to push the lead back to nine. Williams finished with 13 points and 11 rebounds.

Walker later scored off a drive and knocked down another 3 to quell another Magic rally.

“We just weren’t physical enough and we didn’t take him out of his rhythm,” Magic guard Terrence Ross said. “He kind of got to his sweet spots and that kind of hurt us and he got going once he got more comfortable.”

The Hornets outrebounded the Magic 59-40.

“The sense of urgency, I don’t think it was there for us this night,” Orlando’s Aaron Gordon said. “Just lackadaisical. We weren’t finding our man, we were letting them get too many second-chance points and that’ll kill you. We just weren’t doing the little stuff.”

Jonathan Simmons led the Magic with 27 points off the bench on 9-of-15 shooting. Evan Fournier added 23 points, while Ross and Gordon each had 17.