Gordon Hayward scored 44 points, and the Charlotte Hornets went on a 16-6 run in the fourth quarter to beat the Atlanta Hawks 102-94.
The Hawks had gone on a 19-2 run to lead 86-85 when Hayward’s 15-foot jumper put the Hornets ahead for good with 4:34 left. He scored 10 points as they pulled away to a 101-92 lead with 10 seconds left.
During clutch time, the Hornets outscored the Hawks 13-0. Hayward scored 9 of the Hornets’ 13 on 3 for 4 shooting and 3 for 3 at the line. Early in the fourth quarter, Brandon Goodwin had 2 steals in 31 seconds, 1 of them during a 10-0 Hawks run, and the Hawks scored 3 points off them.
For the Hawks, John Collins had 23 points (18 in the paint) and 11 rebounds, and Cam Reddish went 0 for 8 from 3.
The Hornets went 27 for 33 at the line to the Hawks’ 15 for 18. The Hawks outscored the Hornets 58-36 in the paint. The Hornets outscored the Hawks 28-18 in 9 minutes with Hayward, Rozier, Bridges, Graham and Washington on the floor together.