A 25-0 run gives Charlotte Hornets a win over the Washington Wizards

The Charlotte Hornets went on a 25-0 run in the fourth quarter to beat the Washington Wizards 101-87 Wednesday at Time Warner Cable Arena.

The victory extended the Hornets’ home winning streak to seven, making them 9-6 on the season.

The Wizards went 0-for-17 from the field during their drought. The Hornets outscored Washington in the lane 46-22 as the Wizards became far too reliant on jump shots.

The Hornets play the Eastern Conference champion Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday in the fifth of a seven-game homestand.

Three who mattered

Nic Batum: He quickly assembled a double-double, reaching 10 assists for the first time this season. He finished with 11 assists.

Al Jefferson: A solid points-rebounds double-double in limited minutes.

Jeremy Lamb: Contributed 13 points and six rebounds off the bench.

Observations

▪  Hornets coach Steve Clifford values his relationship with owner Michael Jordan. He said Jordan offers advice, but never dictates how Clifford does his job: “He ends (conversations) with ‘You coach the way you want to coach.’ ”

▪  Nic Batum said the Hornets’ decision to extend Clifford’s contract could enhance the team’s chances of re-signing Batum in free agency. Said Batum of Clifford, “He trusts me. He believes in me. So that could be a big factor.”

▪  Kemba Walker’s stats have been crazy in the four games leading into Wednesday: 27 ppg on 62 percent shooting from the field. Averaged five assists, 4.8 rebounds and 2.3 steals; 11-of-20 from 3-point range.

▪  Despite having missed Tuesday’s practice with stomach flu, Batum was well enough to start Wednesday.

▪  The Hornets entered this game against the Washington Wizards 0-3 against fellow Southeast Division teams. They lost once to the Miami Heat and twice to the Atlanta Hawks at the season’s outset.

Worth mentioning

▪  Clifford’s new contract with the Hornets will include three guaranteed seasons starting in 2016-17 followed by a team option for 2019-20.

▪  P.J. Haiston was struck in the head with an elbow in the second half.

▪  Playing rookie Frank Kaminsky more is eating into backup center Spencer Hawes’ minutes.

Report card

B- OFFENSE: Turnovers were a big concern for second game in a row.

B+ DEFENSE: Limited the Wizards point in the lane, which isn’t easy with Marcin Gortat on the court.

B+ COACHING: Used the bench well, then brought back Walker, Jefferson and Marvin Williams to finish the job.

This story was originally published November 25, 2015 at 9:36 PM with the headline "A 25-0 run gives Charlotte Hornets a win over the Washington Wizards."