Immanuel Quickley drilled a buzzer-beating three from the top of the key as the Toronto Raptors stunned the Charlotte Hornets 97-96 on Wednesday night at Spectrum Center.
Toronto erased a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit to improve to 23-15, securing its fifth win in six games with a composed late-game execution.
Quickley finished with 21 points, including the decisive shot off a side inbounds play, while RJ Barrett led all scorers with 28 points and seven rebounds.
Scottie Barnes added 17 points and provided interior balance as the Raptors leaned on defense and ball security to close the gap.
Charlotte appeared poised to steal the game after LaMelo Ball converted a driving left-handed layup with 1.6 seconds remaining, putting the Hornets ahead 96-94.
The home crowd barely had time to react before Quickley shook free, rose confidently, and buried his third three-pointer of the night to flip the outcome.
Toronto’s comeback was built on control, as the visitors committed just six turnovers compared to Charlotte’s 18.
That disparity proved decisive in a one-possession game, especially down the stretch when every possession carried weight.
The Hornets opened the night with an 11-2 burst, feeding off energy from a crowd still buzzing after Monday’s upset win over Oklahoma City.
Toronto answered quickly, ripping off a 17-3 run to steady the game and prevent early separation.
Charlotte took a 50-45 halftime lead behind Kon Knueppel, who scored 11 points in the first half despite struggling overall.
The Hornets stretched the margin to double digits early in the fourth when Moussa Diabate jumped a passing lane at midcourt and finished a spinning layup in transition.
Toronto, ice-cold from outside for most of the night, finally found rhythm when it mattered most.
After shooting just 3-of-27 from three-point range through three quarters, the Raptors went 4-of-7 from deep in the final period.
Barrett’s three-pointer with 5:40 left gave Toronto its first lead of the quarter and shifted momentum.
From there, the Raptors relied on disciplined spacing and timely stops to stay within striking distance.
Charlotte was led by Collin Sexton, who scored 22 points off the bench, while Ball finished with 15 points, seven assists, and seven rebounds.
Despite shooting 37 percent from three as a team, the Hornets struggled to capitalize on second chances and late-game execution.
Toronto shot 41 percent overall and survived a 50-42 rebounding deficit by limiting mistakes and converting key shots late.
The Raptors now head to Boston to face the Boston Celtics on Friday, while Charlotte hosts the Indiana Pacers on Thursday.
