Walker's 31 pace Hornets in win over Bulls

[February 28, 2018]  Kemba Walker scored a game-high 31 points, and the Charlotte Hornets pulled away for a 118-103 win over the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday night at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, N.C.

The Hornets won their fifth consecutive game, their longest winning streak of the season. Charlotte outscored Chicago 67-52 in the second half to improve to 18-15 at home.

Hornets center Dwight Howard finished with 24 points on 10-for-12 shooting. Jeremy Lamb contributed 15 points off the Charlotte bench on 7-for-9 shooting.

Zach LaVine led the Bulls with 21 points. Chicago reserve Bobby Portis posted a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds.

Chicago dropped its fifth game in a row. The Bulls have lost 13 of their past 15 contests and are 7-24 on the road this season.

Charlotte led 87-78 entering the fourth quarter. Hornets forward Nicolas Batum made a layup to punctuate a 19-9 run late in the third quarter as the Bulls struggled to keep pace. Walker added a 3-pointer with five seconds to go in the third.

The score was even at 51 at halftime. Bulls guard Kris Dunn blocked a jump shot by Walker at the buzzer to preserve the tie.

Walker led all scorers in the first half with 15 points. Cristiano Felicio paced the Bulls with 12 points before the break, which matched his season high from Dec. 1 against the Sacramento Kings and Jan. 31 against the Portland Trail Blazers. Felicio did not score in the second half.

 

Hornets guard Kemba Walker (15) talks with referee Tony Brown (6) in the second half against the Chicago Bulls at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports

Injuries forced the Hornets to play short-handed for much of the game. Forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist strained his left hamstring in the first half and did not return. In the second half, center Cody Zeller was ruled out because of a sore left knee.

Kidd-Gilchrist did not score in six minutes. Zeller finished with two points and four rebounds in 11 minutes off the bench.

Bulls forward Paul Zipser did not play because of a sore left foot. Veteran center Robin Lopez and guard Justin Holiday remained in street clothes as the team auditions younger players and prepares for another lottery pick.

--Field Level Media

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