Walker, Hornets defeat Kings

Charlotte Hornets' Kemba Walker (15) blocks a pass by Sacramento Kings' De'Aaron Fox (5) during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Charlotte, N.C., Thursday, Jan. 17, 2019. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)
Charlotte Hornets' Kemba Walker (15) blocks a pass by Sacramento Kings' De'Aaron Fox (5) during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Charlotte, N.C., Thursday, Jan. 17, 2019. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)

CHARLOTTE, N.C.-Kemba Walker scored 23 points, surpassing 11,000 for his career, and the Charlotte Hornets defeated the Sacramento Kings 114-95 on Thursday night.

Miles Bridges and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist each had 15 points and Willy Hernangomez added 11 points and 16 rebounds off the bench for the Hornets. Charlotte's reserves outscored Sacramento's 60-44.

The Hornets entered the game looking to make up ground in the Eastern Conference after a 2-4 West Coast trip, which included a 104-97 loss at Sacramento on Saturday.

After a slow start, Charlotte scored 43 points in the second quarter to take control and never trailed again, leading by as many as 20 early in the fourth quarter.

Walker, who is third in All-Star voting at guard in the Eastern Conference, has scored 87 points in his last three games.

Buddy Hield led the Kings with 24 points.

The Hornets trailed by 13 points early but outscored the Kings by 18 in the second quarter to take a 63-50 halftime lead. Kidd-Gilchrist brought energy and scoring with 13 points before the break.

 

76ers 120, Pacers 96

INDIANAPOLIS -Joel Embiid had 22 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists Thursday night to lead the Philadelphia 76ers to their seventh win in nine games, a 120-96 blowout of the Indiana Pacers.

Jimmy Butler added 27 points, eight assists and five boards as Philadelphia shot 53 percent and finished with 38 assists, the most by an Indiana opponent this season.

In a matchup of two of the top teams in the Eastern Conference, the 76ers improved to 2-1 in the four-game season series. The road team has won all three games.

J.J. Redick contributed 20 points and five assists, and Ben Simmons finished with 11 points, eight assists and eight rebounds. Indiana's starting backcourt of Darren Collison and All-Star Victor Oladipo was limited to 21 combined points on 9-of-30 shooting.

What had been a competitive game turned into a rout in the third quarter. The 76ers led 28-25 after the first quarter and 54-48 at halftime, but a quick 8-0 run put them up 66-55 and prompted Pacers coach Nate McMillan to call timeout. Redick hit two 3-pointers assisted by handoffs from Embiid, and Embiid scored in the lane during the burst.

T.J. McConnell's driving bank shot in the final seconds of the quarter pushed the lead to 15 for the first time. Philadelphia carried that 86-71 advantage to the fourth.

Redick's sixth 3 made it an 18-point lead. Indiana replied with a 10-0 run, but back-to-back 3s from Embiid and his backup, Mike Muscala, quieted the crowd and forced yet another Indiana timeout.

Muscala had 11 points and seven rebounds.

Indiana, held to 40 percent shooting, never challenged again. Ex-Sixer Thaddeus Young had 27 points and six rebounds. Oladipo ended up with 15 points and seven assists.

Upcoming Events