Dec 23, 2021
Washington, Oubre help Hornets rally past Nuggets
P.J. Washington hit three big 3-pointers down the stretch, Kelly Oubre Jr. scored 14 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter and Charlotte Hornets overcame a 19-point deficit to beat the Denver Nuggets 115-107 on Thursday night.
The Associated Press
DENVER (AP) — P.J. Washington hit three big 3-pointers down the stretch, Kelly Oubre Jr. scored 14 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter and Charlotte Hornets overcame a 19-point deficit to beat the Denver Nuggets 115-107 on Thursday night.
Will Barton’s step-back shot gave the Nuggets a 90-71 advantage late in the third before the Hornets rallied. Washington tied it at 99 on a 3-pointer with 5:30 remaining and gave the Hornets the lead for good on another 3 with 1:20 left.
Jalen McDaniels had a dunk and Ish Smith a 3-pointer to seal help the Hornets end a six-game trip with a 2-4 mark.
The comeback overshadowed a big night from reigning NVP Nikola Jokic, who had 29 points and 21 rebounds — one away from tying his career high.
Oubre fueled the run with big bucket after big bucket in the final quarter, including a four-point play.
Terry Rozier added 17 points and Miles Bridges and LaMelo Ball each had 16.
On Wednesday night in Oklahoma City, Nuggets coach Michael Malone wasn’t pleased with his starters and didn’t play them in the fourth quarter in a 108-94 loss.
In this game, he inserted starters to try to gain back control, but they couldn’t. The Nuggets drop to 1-5 on the second night of a back-to-back.
Hornets center Mason Plumlee knows Jokic well, spending plenty of time defending him in practice while playing for the Nuggets from 2016-20.
“I said, ‘What’s the secret?’” Hornets coach James Borrego cracked. “(Plumlee) knows all the little tricks.”
Jokic had 16 rebounds in the first half.