Hornets make barrage of treys, hold off Hawks
FILE – Kelly Oubre Jr. #12 of the Charlotte Hornets looks on during the first half against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center on November 27, 2021 in Houston, Texas. Carmen Mandato/Getty Images/AFP
Miles Bridges scored 32 points, Kelly Oubre Jr. added 28 and the shorthanded Charlotte Hornets ended their three-game road losing streak with a 130-127 win over the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday.
Bridges was 11-for-15 from the floor, including 4-for-6 on 3-pointers, and Oubre was 11-for-17 and 6-for-10 on 3s. The Hornets, the league’s most efficient 3-point shooting team, made 17 of 37.
28 for @KELLYOUBREJR.
32 for @MilesBridges.The @hornets duo capped their big nights with respective clutch buckets late! pic.twitter.com/sfrQIRDnmy
— NBA (@NBA) December 6, 2021
The Hornets played without four players who were sidelined because of health and safety protocols: starters LaMelo Ball, Terry Rozier and Mason Plumlee and reserve Jalen McDaniels. Plumlee had been scheduled to return after missing four games with a right calf strain.
The Hornets also got 19 points from reserve Cody Martin and 18 points apiece from Gordon Hayward and Ish Smith.
John Collins led Atlanta with 31 points and 12 rebounds, Kevin Huerter scored 28 points and Trae Young added 25 points and 15 assists. Clint Capela had 14 rebounds and Danilo Gallinari came off the bench to score 17.
The teams have split their two meetings, both played in Atlanta. The Hawks have lost two straight and three of their last four.
The Hornets made 10 3-pointers in the first half and led 68-61 at the break. Oubre made three to spark the Hornets.
Atlanta went on a 21-10 run to open the third quarter and had an 82-78 lead on Young’s 3-pointer at 7:04. But Cody Martin scored eight points during a 12-0 run and Charlotte led 99-92 after three quarters.
The Hawks had a 14-2 run that spanned the end of the third and beginning of the fourth to take a 103-101 lead. The game was soon tied 112-112 before Bridges scored seven points down the stretch to help the Hornets build a six-point lead.
The Hawks made a late push and drew within three several times, including when Young drained a long step-back jumper, but could come no closer than that.
Charlotte returns home to start a three-game homestand on Monday against Philadelphia. Atlanta completes a back-to-back on Monday with a trip to Minnesota.
