Rookie Kon Knueppel had 21 points and seven assists Friday night and the visiting Charlotte Hornets defeated the Toronto Raptors 111-86.
Tidjane Salaun added a career-best 21 points — 13 in the fourth quarter — and Miles Bridges had 15 points and nine rebounds for the Hornets, who completed a 1-2 road trip.
Ryan Kalkbrenner and Brandon Miller contributed 12 points each. LaMelo Ball added 11 points before leaving with left ankle soreness during the third quarter.
The Hornets have won two of three against the Raptors this season.
Immanuel Quickley scored 31 points for the Raptors, who have lost four of five. Scottie Barnes added 13 points as Toronto showed signs of carryover from a loss on a buzzer-beater against the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday. Brandon Ingram had seven points and nine rebounds.
Charlotte led by eight points entering the fourth quarter and increased the margin to 14 on Knueppel’s 3-pointer with 9:52 to play. KJ Simpson’s 3-pointer stretched the gap to 17. Knueppel scored five straight points and Charlotte led by 20 with 8:20 to play. Salaun’s 3-pointer with 4:43 to go widened the lead to 25 and soon the reserves took over.
There was a delay of about 10 minutes after 40 seconds had been played in the first quarter because of a problem with banks of flashing strobe lights. Toronto led 24-18 after one quarter.
Toronto stretched the lead to 11 on Quickley’s 3-pointer with 9:36 to play in the second quarter. Some cold shooting and a couple of careless turnovers by Toronto allowed Charlotte to go on a 17-0 run to take a 38-32 lead with 5:19 left. The Raptors offense remained stagnant and the quicker Hornets took advantage to lead 53-42 at halftime. It was Toronto’s lowest scoring half of the season.
With Quickley providing the spark, Toronto shaved the lead to five on Jakob Poeltl’s offensive rebound and layup with 6:23 remaining in the third quarter.
Ball went to the dressing room limping slightly after slipping on the court early in the third quarter. He did not return.
Salaun and Miller nailed consecutive 3-pointers to bump the lead to 12 with 2:52 left in the third. Charlotte led 78-70 after three quarters.
–Field Level Media
