Keon Johnson scored 18 points and the Brooklyn Nets claimed a 104-83 victory over the host Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday night, snapping a seven-game losing streak.
In a matchup of teams that began the night with two of the three worst records in the Eastern Conference, the Nets were in control for most of the night. Jalen Wilson added 15 points, Tosan Evbuomwan had 14 and Ziaire Williams 13. Nic Claxton supplied 12 points, eight rebounds and six blocked shots.
Miles Bridges led Charlotte with 23 points to go with 13 rebounds. Vasilije Micic provided 15 points, Moussa Diabete chipped in 13, and Taj Gibson had 10 rebounds.
The Hornets, who have lost four of their last five games, were without guard LaMelo Ball, who left with a sprained left ankle in Monday’s loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. The team announced Wednesday that Ball would be re-evaluated in one week.
Charlotte center Mark Williams missed another game due to foot issues, further pinching the team’s rotation.
The Nets, who topped edged Charlotte 116-115 in Brooklyn in mid-November, notched assists on 27 of 39 baskets.
Bridges scored seven straight points to get the Hornets within 72-56 with 3:31 left in the third quarter, but Trendon Watford had five points in Brooklyn’s next surge that pushed the lead to 84-60.
The Nets led 53-37 at halftime despite shooting just 3-for-18 on 3-pointers. Charlotte shot 30 percent from the field in the opening half.
Neither team had a scorer in double figures in the half.
Brooklyn’s cushion was 66-45 less than five minutes into the third quarter.
The Hornets are 1-3 to start their nine-game homestand. They face the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday and the Denver Nuggets on Saturday.
The Nets, who had lost 12 of 13 entering Wednesday’s game, will play a home-and-home set with the Houston Rockets, starting with a matchup in Houston on Saturday.
–Field Level Media
