Rookie Jonathan Mogbo recorded his first career triple-double as the Toronto Raptors completed their home schedule with a 126-96 victory over the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday.
Mogbo finished with 17 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists, and reserve Jared Rhoden added 23 points for the Raptors (30-50), who won their second game in a row.
Toronto’s Scottie Barnes had 17 points and 11 rebounds, A.J. Lawson scored 14 points, RJ Barrett contributed 11 points, Jamison Battle put up 10 points and Orlando Robinson had nine points and 12 rebounds.
Nick Smith Jr. had 28 points and 10 assists for the Hornets (19-61), who have lost 10 of 11. Jusuf Nurkic added 26 points and nine rebounds.
In a game involving teams long out of the playoff picture, Toronto led 25-23 after a first quarter that featured nine lead changes.
The Hornets, who lost their final home game of the season 124-100 on Tuesday to the Memphis Grizzlies, were matching the more rested Raptors in early energy.
Toronto scored five straight points to lead 35-30 with 4:57 to play in the second quarter.
Nurkic played a strong game around the glass, and he twice brought Charlotte to within three points with a layup and then a hook shot.
The Raptors pulled out to a 12-point lead 2:24 left in the half on a barrage of 3-pointers, one by Barnes followed by two straight from Immanuel Quickley.
Toronto led 53-45 at halftime. Neither team shot well, but the difference was in 3-point shooting with the Raptors going 10-for-29 and the Hornets at 4-for-16.
Barnes, who has been dealing with a hand injury, scored Toronto’s first seven points of the third quarter. The Raptors controlled the period, and the lead reached 18 when Battle hit a 3-pointer with 3:51 remaining. The gap reached 23 points on Cole Swider’s 3-pointer. Nurkic’s layup with seven seconds remaining left Toronto with an 88-68 lead after three quarters.
Swider hit a 3-pointer with 9:11 to go in the fourth quarter and Toronto led by 25. Rhoden’s 3-pointer bumped the margin to 32.
Charlotte reserve Taj Gibson played in his 1,000th NBA game and had two points, five rebounds and two blocked shots in 18 minutes.
Toronto’s Jakob Poeltl (hand) and Charlotte’s Miles Bridges (hip) did not play.
–Field Level Media
