Miles Bridges powered the Charlotte Hornets to a 118-111 overtime win against the Toronto Raptors on Saturday night at Spectrum Center, ending Toronto’s nine-game winning streak and giving Charlotte its first back-to-back victories of the season.
Bridges delivered 35 points and went 4-for-4 in the extra period, scoring 10 of Charlotte’s 14 OT points to secure the comeback.
The Hornets improved to 6-14 after erasing a 17-point first-half deficit, while Toronto fell to 14-6 after its earliest loss since Nov. 8.
Rookie Kon Knueppel added 20 points and drilled the leaning corner 3-pointer that tied the game with 10 seconds left in regulation.
He later assisted Bridges on a dunk in overtime that stretched Charlotte’s lead and shifted full control to the home side.
Collin Sexton supplied 18 points off the bench and handled most of the point guard duties once LaMelo Ball was removed early in the fourth due to a minutes restriction on the second night of a back-to-back.
Ball finished with 14 points on 6-of-16 shooting, while Brandon Miller struggled throughout the night, going 1-for-13 and scoring seven.
Charlotte compensated through physicality, second-chance scoring and Bridges’ efficiency, as the forward shot 13-of-23 from the field and attacked Toronto’s back line repeatedly in overtime.
Scottie Barnes led the Raptors with 30 points and 12 rebounds, posting 11-of-16 shooting in another strong two-way outing.
Brandon Ingram and Immanuel Quickley each scored 22, but Toronto’s perimeter offense stalled late, finishing 9-for-29 from deep.
The Raptors started fast, building a 26-9 lead in the first half behind aggressive drives from Barnes and Quickley.
Charlotte gradually responded, tying the score late in the second quarter when Sion James converted off an offensive rebound.
The game tightened through the second half as the Hornets leaned on Bridges’ isolation scoring and Knueppel’s perimeter spacing.
Regulation ended in chaos when Knueppel gathered the ball in the corner and, with a defender draped over him, hit the tying 3 that sent the arena into a frenzy.
Toronto opened the overtime period with the first basket, but Charlotte controlled the final four minutes with stops and shot creation.
Bridges’ late 3-pointer made it a two-possession game, and the Hornets closed it out at the line by shooting 26-of-29 overall.
Toronto outrebounded Charlotte 52-39 but committed 15 turnovers, several of which came in crucial moments.
Charlotte returns to action Monday against the Nets in Brooklyn. Toronto continues its road trip Sunday at Madison Square Garden to face the Knicks.
