NBA Game Recap - Charlotte at Toronto
Sun Mar 24, 2019 6:00 PM EDT

LAC
124
NY
113
F
CLE
105
MIL
127
F
DEN
88
IND
124
F
CHA
115
TOR
114
F
HOU
113
NO
90
F
SA
115
BOS
96
F
DET
114
GS
121
F
SAC
106
LAL
111
F

Charlotte 115, Toronto 114

Mar 24, 2019, 6:00 PM EDT

Final

1

2

3

4

T

Charlotte

27

31

37

20

115

Toronto

32

25

26

31

114

Lamb hits winning 3, Hornets down Raptors 115-114
Sun Mar 24, 2019 9:54 PM

TORONTO (AP) Jeremy Lamb added a dose of March Madness to Sunday's NBA action.

Lamb banked home a half-court shot at the buzzer and the Hornets beat the Toronto Raptors 115-114, Charlotte's third straight win.

"It feels great," Lamb said. "We fought so hard the whole game. Everybody who came in contributed and played well. They made a big run late. It just feels good to get that win and cap it off like that."

Toronto looked to have won the game after Kawhi Leonard hit the go-ahead basket with 44 seconds left, then blocked Kemba Walker at the other end.

Charlotte got one final chance after Leonard missed a jumper with 5.8 seconds to go. Pascal Siakam knocked the inbounds pass away from Lamb, who chased the ball into the back court before launching the game-winning 3-pointer.

"He made a tough shot," Siakam said. "I don't know how I could have defended it better. Yeah, March Madness."

Hornets coach James Borrego called Lamb's basket "a contested bomb."

According to ESPN, Lamb's winning shot was from 48 feet, making it the second-longest, game-winning buzzer-beater in the past 20 seasons. Tyreke Evans hit a 49-footer against the Grizzlies on Dec. 29, 2010.

"I know he threw up a prayer," Walker said of Lamb's long heave. "I guess the basketball gods were on our side tonight. That was an unbelievable shot."

Walker had 15 points and 13 assists and Willy Hernagomez had 13 points and 10 rebounds for the Hornets, who overcame an 18-point deficit in the fourth quarter to beat Boston on Saturday.

"It's a big win," Walker said. "That's an unbelievable team over there. They're going to be a force to be reckoned with in the playoffs. That was impressive."

Dwayne Bacon made five 3-pointers and scored 20 points, and rookie Miles Bridges scored 16 for Charlotte, which began the day 2 1/2 games behind eighth-place Miami and 1 1/2 games behind ninth-place Orlando in the Eastern Conference playoff race.

"I feel like this is turning our way," Borrego said. "If we keep playing this way, we're going to give ourselves a chance."

Leonard scored 28 points and Siakam had 23 for the Raptors, who lost consecutive home games for the second time this season. Toronto lost to New Orleans on Nov. 12 and Detroit on Nov 14.

All-Star point guard Kyle Lowry returned for Toronto after missing the previous two games because of a sore right ankle. With Lowry in the starting lineup, the Raptors were at full strength for the first time since the trade deadline acquisition of center Marc Gasol, and the subsequent signing of free agent guard Jeremy Lin.

Still, having a full complement of players didn't pay off for the Raptors, who surrendered 18 points on 13 turnovers. Toronto had 22 turnovers in Friday's home loss to Oklahoma City, one shy of their season worst.

Charlotte led 109-96 with 7:50 remaining. Then Toronto's Fred VanVleet hit back-to-back 3-pointers and dunks from Siakam and Leonard cut it to 109-106 with 5:26 to go.

Leonard's jumper made it a one-point game before Bacon ended Toronto's 12-0 run by making one of two at the foul line.

Siakam and Bacon swapped layups before Leonard tied it with a pair at the foul line.

The Hornets led 58-57 at halftime.

Ten of Charlotte's 12 field goals in the third quarter were 3-pointers, including five from Bacon. The Hornets set a franchise record by making 10 of 15 from long range in the third. Charlotte took a 95-83 lead into the fourth.

TIP -INS

Hornets: Charlotte shot 18 for 41 from 3-point range. ... G Tony Parker was away from the team for personal reasons. ... F Cody Zeller (left knee) missed his seventh straight game and F Nicolas Batum (illness) missed his second straight. F Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (concussion protocol) was absent for the third straight game. ... Charlotte made nine 3-pointers in a quarter against Sacramento on Jan 25, 2016.

Raptors: Toronto recorded an assist on each of its first six baskets and 11 of 12 in the first quarter. ... Gasol started and scored 17 points. ... The Raptors came in 29-8 at home, tied for the second-most home wins in the NBA.

BEEN A WHILE

Lamb was asked whether he remembered the last time he hit a half-court buzzer-beater.

"In my driveway growing up, counting down by myself," he said.

STILL SORE

Lowry said his ankle is still sore, but he wanted to get back into game action before the playoffs.

"It's a work in progress," he said. "This is a good first step for me."

UP NEXT

Hornets: Host San Antonio on Tuesday night.

Raptors: Host Chicago on Tuesday night.

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Leaders

Charlotte PTS +/- AST REB ST BLK
D. Bacon 20 -12 0 3 0 0
M. Bridges 16 3 1 6 1 1
Toronto PTS +/- AST REB ST BLK
K. Leonard 28 10 3 9 0 2
P. Siakam 23 8 5 7 1 1

Team Comparison

CHA TOR
Points For 115 114
Field Goals 41/93-44% 45/77-58%
Three Pointers 18/41-44% 11/26-42%
Free Throws 15/17-88% 13/13-100%
Offensive Rebounds 14 3
Defensive Rebounds 25 32
Rebounds 45 41
Blocks 3 11
Steals 12 6
Turnovers 7 13
Points Scored Off Turnovers 18 10
Points in the Paint 42 58
Fast Break Points 14 16
Personal Fouls 17 17
Technical Fouls 0 0
Flagrant Fouls 0 0
Ejections 0 0

2018-19 Reg Season - Series Tied 1-1

Date Result Away Pts Ldr Home Pts Ldr
Mon Oct 22 CHA 106 @ TOR 127 K. Walker 26 K. Leonard 22
Sun Mar 24 CHA 115 @ TOR 114 D. Bacon 20 K. Leonard 28

Game Information

Stadium: Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, Ontario
Attendance: 19,800
Game Time: 2:11