MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Kelly Oubre Jr. scored a season-best 37 points on 13-of-17 shooting and the Charlotte Hornets beat the Memphis Grizzlies 118-108 on Wednesday night to snap a five-game losing streak.
“I think I had the same approach that I do every game,” Oubre said. “I just try to go one play at a time. One shot at a time. My first couple (of shots) were good, so the rim opened up. The goal got bigger for me. I was able to find a rhythm early.”
Oubre matched his career high with seven 3-pointers on nine attempts and broke the franchise record for points off the bench.
“When Kelly plays like that and our bench plays with that type of efficiency, we’re a different team,” Hornets coach James Borrego said.
Gordon Hayward added 25 points for Charlotte. LaMelo Ball, who was coming off a triple-double of 25 points, 15 rebounds and 11 assists Monday night in an overtime loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, fell just short of his second consecutive triple-double with 12 points, nine rebounds and eight assists.
Ja Morant led Memphis with 32 points, 19 of them in the first quarter, and eight assists. Dillon Brooks, in his first game of the season after dealing with recovery from a left hand fracture, added 20 points. Jaren Jackson Jr. had 19.
Brooks came off the bench, rather than in his usual starting spot. Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins said he wanted to get Brooks into the flow of the game.
“It was a little different,” Brooks said. “But I just stayed ready.”
The Hornets led by double digits in the fourth quarter, and were up 102-95 with four minutes left.
“We missed open shots,” Morant said. “Shot 23% from 3. … I feel like we had a lot of great looks. Just didn’t go down.”
TIP-INS
Hornets: Ball received a flagrant foul 1 in the third quarter on a foul against Morant on a drive. … Outscored Memphis 26-16 in the second quarter. … Miles Bridges was held to 10 points on 3-of-11 shooting. He had nine rebounds and seven assists.
Grizzlies: Rookie F Ziaire Williams, who sat out Monday night against Minnesota because of a sore right wrist, also was active against Charlotte, but did not play. … Desmond Bane has missed his last 15 3-point attempts.
UP NEXT:
Hornets: Host New York on Friday night.
Grizzlies: Host Phoenix on Friday night.
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