NBA: Nets fight back behind Kevin Durant to top Hornets
Kevin Durant #7 of the Brooklyn Nets drives to the basket while guarded by Mason Plumlee #24 of the Charlotte Hornets in the third quarter during their game at Spectrum Center on November 05, 2022 in Charlotte, North Carolina. Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images/AFP
The Brooklyn Nets used a late surge and key baskets from Kevin Durant to pull out a 98-94 comeback victory against the host Charlotte Hornets on Saturday night.
Durant poured in 27 points to go with seven rebounds while the Nets have tallied back-to-back road wins since the suspension of guard Kyrie Irving earlier in the week.
Durant’s 3-point basket from the right wing with 1:12 remaining put the Nets into the lead at 94-92.
Ice. Cold. 🥶 pic.twitter.com/zqBFjOOFOV
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) November 6, 2022
Cam Thomas scored 21 points and Nic Claxton had 11 points and nine rebounds for the Nets, who also won Friday night at Washington.
Terry Rozier scored 25 points and Kelly Oubre Jr. added 18 for the Hornets. P.J. Washington also finished with 18 points.
Charlotte has a four-game losing streak. This was the first of three home games across a five-day span.
The Hornets, who trailed by as many as 11 points in the second quarter, took the lead by outscoring Brooklyn 18-7 across the first 7 1/2 minutes of the third quarter.
The Nets had a five-minute scoring drought, yet stayed within range by the time they scored again. Brooklyn got it together and posted eight points in the last three minutes of the quarter, which ended with Charlotte holding a 70-69 edge.
A Nick Richards dunk briefly put the Hornets in good shape at 82-72 with less than nine minutes to play.
But the Nets responded to tie at 89-89 before the two-minute mark.
Brooklyn led 52-44 at halftime.
Rozier, who missed all except the first two games of the season with an ankle injury, heated up from long range. He has scored more than 20 points in every game he has played.
The Hornets remained without injured LaMelo Ball, Gordon Hayward and Cody Martin.
