By Sam Perley, hornets.com
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Result
One of the most spectacular individual outings ever by a Charlotte player helped fuel a huge 23-point comeback win for the Hornets as they rallied to beat the Nets, 111-105, on Wednesday, March 21 in Brooklyn. Dwight Howard erupted for 32 points and a franchise-record 30 rebounds (five more than the previous mark) as the Hornets matched their second-largest come-from-behind victory in team history.
Turning Point
After the Hornets rallied to cut a 23-point, second-half deficit down to just one with 18.3 seconds left, Kemba Walker spun through the lane, rolled in a jumper, drew a foul and hit the ensuing free throw to give Charlotte the lead. On the other end, the Hornets got some clutch lockdown defense from rookie Dwayne Bacon, who forced an errant Caris LeVert bank shot that fell into Dwight Howard’s hands. Charlotte would drain all four of its free throws down the stretch to close out the five-game road trip with a victory.
Hornets Player of the Game (Pick up your Dwight Howard gear here)
Dwight Howard had one of the best performances of his 14-year career, finishing with a game-high 32 points and a franchise-record 30 rebounds in the win. Howard is the first NBA player to record a 30-30 game since Nov. 12, 2010 (Kevin Love) and just the second to do so in the last 26 years (Moses Malone; Feb. 11, 1982).
Nets Player of the Game
D’Angelo Russell racked up team-high totals in scoring (19 points) and assists (five) to go along with four rebounds in the loss. The former second overall pick has now dished out five-or-more assists in four-straight games, matching his second-longest streak of the season.
Game Notes
Kemba Walker tallied 24 points, five rebounds, a game-high six assists and two steals… Jeremy Lamb had 17 points on 8-of-13 shooting, seven rebounds and two assists… Frank Kaminsky also scored in double figures with 11 points… Willy Hernangomez chipped in five points and seven rebounds (four offensive) off the bench…Nicolas Batum (left Achilles soreness) and Cody Zeller (left knee soreness) sat out for the second and sixth-straight game, respectively… Howard’s outing moved him past Jerry Lucas for 16th place on the NBA’s all-time rebounding leaderboard (12,969). He was also assessed his 16th technical foul of the season in the third quarter, making him eligible for a league mandatory one-game suspension… The Hornets outrebounded Brooklyn, 68-46, which included a 23-10 advantage in offensive boards… Charlotte’s largest comeback in franchise history came on Oct. 29, 2014 vs. Milwaukee (24 points).
Quote of the Night
“We stuck with the game plan. Brooklyn is a tough team at home. They just beat the brakes off of us in Charlotte and they came out tonight on fire. [In the] second half, we tried to shift the momentum, attack the basket more, grab some more rebounds, post them up in the paint and we got a good win.” – Dwight Howard
Next Up<br
The Hornets head home for the second game of a back-to-back set as they’ll take on the Memphis Grizzlies starting at 7 p.m. on Thursday, March 22 in Charlotte. The game can be seen on FOX Sports Southeast or heard on WFNZ or on the official Charlotte Hornets mobile app.