The Charlotte Hornets beat the Sacramento Kings 131-111.
The Hornets led by as many as 25, pulling away with a 27-10 run in the second quarter.
Nicolas Batum scored 21 points (9 in the third quarter) on 8 for 12 shooting. Dwight Howard added 20 points (18 in the paint) and 8 rebounds on 9 for 13 shooting, and Jeremy Lamb had 16 points and 3 steals off the bench. The Hornets had 8 players in double-digit scoring.
For the Kings, Zach Randolph had 24 points and 10 rebounds.
The Hornets shot 57.3% from the field and 46.9% from 3 to the Kings’ 51.7% and 41.2%. The Kings forced 3 turnovers, about 11 fewer than usual for this many possessions. The Hornets outscored the Kings 58-37 off the bench. The Hornets’ starters outscored the Kings 55-45 in 19 minutes together.