Bryn Forbes scored 22 points (9 in the second quarter), and the San Antonio Spurs went on a 20-4 run in the third quarter to beat the Charlotte Hornets 108-101 to end a 4-game losing streak.
The Hornets went on a 15-2 run to lead 64-58 with 6:02 left in the third quarter. Rudy Gay’s 8-foot pull-up jumper put the Spurs ahead for good with 2:34 left in the quarter. He scored 13 points during the run, and they led 78-68 with 32 seconds left in the quarter.
The Hornets got within 86-84 on Kemba Walker’s 2 free throws with 6:36 to play, but Manu Ginobili answered with a driving dunk, and the Hornets got no closer.
During clutch time, the Spurs outscored the Hornets 7-0. Patty Mills scored 6 of the Spurs’ 7 on 2 for 2 shooting.
Gay scored 20 points off the bench.
For the Hornets, Jeremy Lamb had 27 points (16 in the fourth quarter), 9 rebounds and 6 assists on 10 for 15 shooting, and Dwight Howard added 20 points and 13 rebounds. Lamb scored 16 of his 27 points in the fourth quarter.
The Spurs shot 47.0% from the field to the Hornets’ 41.3% and outscored them 64-16 off the bench. The Hornets’ starters outscored the Spurs 53-38 in 20 minutes together.