Terry Rozier had 29 points and Kelly Oubre Jr. added 19, as the visiting Charlotte Hornets defeated the struggling Cleveland Cavaliers 119-98 on Wednesday night.
The Cavs, who have lost five of their last six games, were led by Darius Garland’s season-high 33 points. He had missed the previous three games with lower back soreness.
Jarrett Allen added 18 points and 11 rebounds and Lauri Markkanen had 12 points, as just three Cavs players scored in double figures.
Cavs coach J.B. Bickerstaff wasn’t around to witness the entire blowout. He was ejected for the first time in his NBA career with 8:36 left in the third quarter. He complained a little too vehemently about a blocking foul on Cedi Osman and was assessed two technical fouls. Assistant Greg Buckner coached the team the rest of the way.
The Hornets lead the league in scoring at 114 per game, while the Cavs are the NBA’s stingiest team and allow just 102. Offense won out on Wednesday, as Charlotte evened the season series with Cleveland at two games apiece.
The Hornets led 96-80 after three quarters.
They closed the first half on a 20-10 run to take a commanding 64-49 advantage. Rozier led all scorers with 16 points in the first half, as the Hornets were a red-hot 9 of 16 from beyond the 3-point line.
The Hornets blew past the Cavs in the first half without All-Star guard LaMelo Ball, who played just five minutes in the first two quarters because of foul trouble.
Cleveland’s problems weren’t solved at halftime, as Miles Bridges’ dunk with 10 minutes remaining in the third quarter opened a 20-point lead, 72-52.
Allen had 14 points in the first half for the Cavs, who were just 2 of 13 from behind the 3-point arc in the first two quarters.
The Cavs have been fallenbehind by large margins in each of their last three games and then stormed back. Charlotte didn’t allow that to happen Wednesday.
Oubre made all five of his shots, including four 3-pointers, for 14 points in the first quarter to help the Hornets to a 38-31 lead. Charlotte shot 60 percent from the field in the quarter.
Allen had eight points for the Cavs in the opening quarter.
–Field Level Media
