Hornets fall to Thunder in overtime after making up a 16-point deficit
The Oklahoma City Thunder survived a fourth-quarter comeback from the Charlotte Hornets, pulling out a 104-102 overtime victory at Spectrum Center.
Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (27 points) went to the foul line with 8.4 seconds left in overtime with Oklahoma City leading by one. He made one of two free throws, giving the Hornets possession for a tying or winning basket.
Charlotte rookie P.J. Washington, in his first game back from a broken finger, drew a foul from Gilgeous-Alexander, going to the line with 1.9 seconds left. He missed the first free throw. He intentionally missed the second. Teammate Devonte Graham got the long rebound but couldn’t get a shot back to the rim as time expired.
Graham (15 points and 13 assists) drove the length of the court to hit a layup with 1.9 seconds left in regulation, tying the score at 94 after Thunder guard Dennis Schroder made 1 of 2 free throws.
Chris Paul’s ensuing jump shot bounced off the rim, sending the game to overtime.
Terry Rozier led the Hornets in scoring with 26 points.
Nice buzz
Quite a recovery for Graham, who made back-to-back 3s after missing his first seven attempts from outside the arc. Graham finished with a points-assists double-double, his ninth of the season.
Bee stings
The math pertaining to efficient NBA basketball is score a lot from 3-point range and at the foul line. By that measure, the Hornets had about as inefficient half as they’ve had all season. They missed their first 18 3s before Terry Rozier made one with 23 seconds left before halftime. They didn’t take a free throw for the game’s first 21 minutes.
Building blocks
Rookie Cody Martin continues to be the Hornets’ first player off the bench. He drew his 12th charge of the season, keeping him among NBA leaders in that defensive category. Martin got in quick foul trouble — three in his first four minutes — which would normally end his first half, but coach James Borrego reinserted him late in the half and Martin completed a 3-point play off a drive-and-foul.
Beyond the numbers
Nicolas Batum didn’t play after starting the previous two games against the Utah Jazz and Boston Celtics. Washington’s return played a part in that, but Borrego also played Dwayne Bacon, who started the season’s first 10 games. Bacon has been mostly out of the rotation this month.
This story was originally published December 27, 2019 at 9:50 PM.
