Los Angeles (United States) (AFP) – The Charlotte Hornets snapped Toronto’s nine-game winning streak on Saturday, stunning the Raptors 118-111 in an NBA overtime thriller to bag just their sixth win of the season. Miles Bridges scored 16 of his 35 points in the fourth quarter and overtime as the Hornets rallied against a Raptors team that appeared to be cruising when they led by 17 in the first quarter.
But the Hornets wouldn’t go away. Rookie Kon Knueppel added 20 points for Charlotte and drained a three-pointer with 10.1 seconds left in regulation to force overtime. After Toronto’s Scottie Barnes drove for a layup to open the extra session, Bridges tied it again with a floater then gave Charlotte their first lead of the game with a three-pointer. The Hornets wouldn’t trail again, out-scoring the Raptors 14-7 in overtime.
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“The whole team set the tone,” Bridges said of a Hornets squad that won their second straight after snapping a seven-game skid on Friday. “As a team, we’re bringing a different type of energy.” Barnes led the Raptors with 30 points, 12 rebounds, and five assists, and Immanuel Quickley and Brandon Ingram added 22 points apiece, but the Raptors lost for the first time since November 8.
Collin Sexton added 18 points off the bench for Charlotte, and Moussa Diabate came up with a big steal late in overtime to keep the upset bid rolling. At Minnesota, guard Anthony Edwards scored 14 of his 39 points in the fourth quarter as the Timberwolves won a roller coaster of a contest against the Boston Celtics 119-115.
The Timberwolves erased a 12-point third quarter deficit and led by 12 with 3:50 left to play, only for the Celtics to come back to tie it with 1:38 remaining. Mike Conley’s three-pointer put the Wolves back in front, and Edwards added a pair of free throws and a wild dagger three-pointer in the final minute.
“I threw up a prayer, God answered it,” Edwards said of his off-balance three-pointer over Derrick White after he’d nearly lost the ball as he dribbled. Julius Randle added 16 points, nine rebounds, and six assists for the Timberwolves. Jaylen Brown led the Celtics with 41 points. But after a blistering first half in which he scored 27 points with five rebounds, five assists, and three steals, he was limited to 14 points in the second half as Boston saw a three-game winning streak end.
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