Coming back from a massive deficit, the Charlotte Hornets got the better of the Toronto Raptors after an overtime victory on Saturday night. Despite a 30 point double-double from Scottie Barnes and 10 assists from Immanuel Quickley, some sloppy defence in the fourth quarter and the sheer force of Miles Bridges’ 35 points were enough to keep the Raptors at bay.
With the Raps winning the tip-off, Immanuel Quickley set the tone of the game with a three-point play. Toronto opened the first quarter 7-0, and seemed able to score at will. The Raptors moved the ball well, able to both score in the paint and on the perimeter, getting the ball to the open man, with Brandon Ingram going on a tear. Colin Murray Boyles brought hustle off the bench, setting up an interior presence, fighting for boards and loose balls, showcasing real grit. Hornets rookie Kon Knueppel was able to find some good opportunities from long range, and Charlotte was able to go on a 7-0 run before Toronto regained control over the game by the end.
Scottie scored well in the interior off the fast break while being guarded by Bridges, as the Raptors continued to maintain a comfortable lead of around ten points. The bench was showcasing their skills, with Boyles continuing to show off his passing and maintaining an interior presence, while Sandro Mamukelashvili got some nice buckets. By the end of the second, the Hornets had begun digging their way out of the lead the Raptors had created, with many thanks to Colin Sexton’s scoring off the bench, as the Hornets brought the game to within six, 58-52 Raptors. LaMelo Ball, Hornets star, sat out much of the first half. leaving the direction of the game up to his teammates
Ball would announced his presence with a bucket to start off the third. The Raptors showed off their unselfishness in a passing clinic ending with a Ja’Kobe Walter 3, bringing the score 67-56 Raptors. Off of some Brandon Miller free throws, the lead was cut to 3, and after another layup from Miller, cut to one, before Quickley got the Raps some breathing room with a three pointer. Ingram had been putting on a show all night from the midrange, proving yet again why his acquisition was more than worth the pieces the Raptors sent to NOLA. Having someone who’s shifty, and who can score at will when necessary, is still worth so much in the modern game. As the third came to a close, the Raptors picked up the scoring pace, and with a minute left on the clock, were up 7 points, keeping the Hornets from scoring.
As he did at the beginning of the contest, Quickley opened the fourth stanza of the game with a three pointer, bringing the Raptors lead back to double digits. Scottie Barnes remained an interior force, scoring with jump hooks and layups to keep his team ahead. With a little more than six minutes left in the half, Mamushaveli dropped in a right handed finish to extend the lead past 10 points, continuing this war of attrition over the double digit lead. As the clock wound down to four minutes, Miles Bridge continued to fight to keep Charlotte in the game, hitting twenty three points as he finished through contact. With three minutes left, the Raptors maintained a their five point lead, cut to two on a three from Colin Sexton, capping off a 10-0 run for the Hornets. An Immanuel Quickley floater was not counted, keeping the Raptors lead at two as the seconds ticked down. With a minute left, a Sion James bucket tied the game at 100 a piece.
As the fourth quarter ground to a close, a Miles Bridges’ free throw brought the game to within one point, before an intentional foul on Scottie Barnes brought the score to 104-101 with 12 seconds remaining. With Brandon Ingram in front of him, hands by his side, rookie Kon Knueppel let a three fly to tie the game once more. Ingram couldn’t get a final midrange shot to go, bringing the game to overtime.
Scottie started off the last period with a left handed lay, before Bridges dug into his bag and baited for a foul to extend the lead even further, 112-108. With the lead lost, Toronto would not see it again, as Charlotte dropped in point after point, never allowing Toronto the chance to regain their position. With that, Toronto’s hot streak was broken, sending the team limping north to the Big Apple to face off against the New York Knicks on Sunday.