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By Matt Rochinski
The margin for error in an NBA game when you’re hanging on in a playoff race can be razor thin.
The Charlotte Hornets found this out the hard way on Tuesday against the Philadelphia 76ers as Jeremy Lamb’s potential game-tying drive to the basket with 2.0 seconds remaining seemed to find a way to hit both the back and the front of the iron before rimming out on Charlotte’s way to a 118-114 loss on its home court.
Lamb led the Hornets with 26 points and 11 rebounds in 30 minutes off the bench to record his sixth double-double of the season. It was Lamb’s third 20+ point, 10+ rebound game of his career and marked the first time a Hornets player has hit that mark since Marco Belinelli did so on Nov. 11, 2016.
Lamb’s drive wasn’t the only chance the Hornets had to take advantage of in this one late, as Kemba Walker’s three-pointer with 2:19 remaining also rimmed in and out with Charlotte trailing 107-106. Then, trailing 112-111 with 50.4 ticks remaining, Miles Bridges’ trey from the left baseline was short, allowing the 76ers to maintain the lead in the final moments.
The Hornets finished the season 0-4 against Philadelphia, with Charlotte’s four losses coming by a total of 10 points, with two of the four contests going to overtime.
“It was a tough loss and another close game. The guys battled again, against a very good team. We’ve been battling this team all season. We’ve been right there with this team and it was the same type of game tonight,” said Head Coach James Borrego. “I thought we played well enough to get this win, we just couldn’t close it out. I think we got great looks. We got better looks than they got down the stretch. Their shots were tough. Butler’s three was tough and Ennis’ three was tough. We had two wide open threes and a layup and we didn’t win the game so give Philly credit. We’ll keep marching on.”
Walker finished with 21 points, four rebounds and four assists despite playing just six minutes in the first quarter and sitting out the second after picking up three fouls early. Walker responded by coming out with 13 points in the third quarter alone as the Hornets took an 89-85 lead into the final frame.
Charlotte also had impressive performances by the rest of their bench as Frank Kaminsky (14) and Dwayne Bacon (13) also finished scoring in double figures. Bacon connected on a career-high seven made free throws (prev: 4 at SAS, 11/3/17) on a career-high 11 trips to the free-throw line (prev: 4, multiple times) as the Hornets reserves outscored Philadelphia’s backups, 61-14.
Charlotte’s three-game homestand continues Thursday with a 7 p.m. tip on Thursday against the Minnnesota Timberwolves.