BY: KRISTY GONOWON – SPORTS ON AIR USA CORRESPONDENT
12-16-2024
CHARLOTTE — On Monday night, the Hornets (7-18) hosted the Philadelphia 76ers (7-16) at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina.
The first big break for the Hornets came with three minutes left in the first quarter when Hornets guard Nick Richards dunked off a Vasilije Micic assist to spark roaring cheers from the crowd going into the a timeout.
However, Sixers forward Paul George drained a 26-foot 3-point jumper off a Kyle Lowry assist before the two-minute mark, putting the Hornets up by six points. This was immediately followed by an assist by George to a KJ Martin 2-foot driving floating jump shot with less than two minutes to go. In the last twenty seconds of the quarter, George made 25-foot 3-point step back jump shot.
Not to be outdone, the Hornets’ Isaiah Wong hit a 6-foot shot from a Cody Martin assist right before the buzzer, with the Hornets trailing 31-23.
The evening’s stat highlight would come in the second quarter when George moved up higher in the NBA’s all-time 3-point list. past Jason Terry to 10th all-time on the NBA’s 3-point list.
However, to open the second quarter, Miles Bridges made a 1-foot dunk off a LaMelo Ball assist. During the quarter, a Sixers coach’s challenge upheld a Kelly Oubre, Jr. offensive charge, resulting in the Sixers being charged with a timeout.
With just over two minutes left in the quarter, George made a spectacular 32-foot 3-point jumper off a Guerschon Yabusele assist, moving him past Jason Terry to the 10th spot on the all-time 3-point list. George would end the evening with 33 points, 5 rebounds and 8 assists..
In the third quarter, Andre Drummond made a dunk off a Kelly Oubre Jr. assist. Just under six minutes left in the quarter, George drained a 24-foot 3-pointer with the quarter ending at 95-79, Sixers.
In the final quarter, the Sixers failed to score for the first three minutes and fifteen seconds. The Hornets capitalized on this and scored 10 points, including a Green 23-foot 3-pointer, a Bridges driving layup, a Green 2-point shot, a Green 26-foot 3-pointer, and an Oubre, Jr. 8-foot 2-point shot. However, despite several momentum shifts throughout the game, the Hornets were not able to overcome the early deficit, falling to the Sixers, 120-108.
Sixers head coach Nick Nurse stated, “I thought the guys were together and focused. We held them to three offensive rebounds, I think, in the first half, but I thought it was mainly great spirit together,” to garner the win.
Up next, the Hornets host the Washington Wizards on December 19 then head to Philadelphia to square up with the Sixers again on December 20.
