By Dan Savage
July 4, 2016
ORLANDO – Aaron Harrison connected on plenty of big shots during his time with the University of Kentucky.
Now, in his second Summer League stint with the Charlotte Hornets, he’s proving he’s still cool in the clutch.
Harrison fired off 13 of his team-high 19 points in the second half as the Hornets held off the Thunder for a 78-74 win on Monday.
“I kind of like those moments,” Harrison explained. “It’s pretty cool.”
Harrison was once again in attack mode down the stretch. His drive to the rack with 8.9 seconds left drew a foul on Oklahoma City’s Richard Solomon and allowed him to drain two game-sealing free throws.
“He stepped up and made a few big plays towards the end,” said Hornets guard Brandon Paul. “He likes to put pressure on the defense, a guy like that that’s always in attack mode is good to have on your side.”
Paul also contributed to the cause, going an efficient 6-for-11 from the floor on his way to 17 points. He also collected a team-high 11 rebounds, notching the only double-double of the contest.
“I just wanted to come out and be aggressive,” Paul said. “I wanted to do things other than (just) score.”
Semaj Christon led four Oklahoma City players in double figures with a game-high 23 points. His assertiveness in driving the lane, earned him a number of trips to the charity stripe as he finished the contest 14-for-18 from the free throw line.
“Just being aggressive, getting to the paint, and if they stop me kick it out to my guys, if not, try to finish around the rim,” Christon said.
The Thunder, who rested Cameron Payne and Mitch McGary, also received contributions from Scottie Wilbekin and Dakari Johnson, who each scored 12.
Both teams have Tuesday off before returning to action on Wednesday. The Hornets face the Mavericks at 3 p.m. ET, while the Thunder take on the Pacers at 5 p.m.