Charlotte Hornets thrash Chicago Bulls, 118-103, for fifth win in a row

The Charlotte Hornets beat the Chicago Bulls, 118-103. It is the first win over the lowly Bulls this season after the Hornets dropped the first two matchups.

The Hornets were led by, as always, All-Star point-guard Kemba Walker. He finished with 31 points, five assists, and three steals while shooting a spectacular 11-19 from the field.

Dwight Howard also had a stellar game, despite leaving the game in the second quarter. Howard finished with 24 points, six rebounds, and five blocks (not a typo), and was dominate in the 3rd quarter.

Nicolas Batum finished with a double-double of 12 points and 10 assists, while Jeremy Lamb and Frank Kaminsky continued to perform, scoring 15 and 11 points, respectively.

The Bulls were led by 21 points from Zach LaVine. Seven Bulls players in total scored in double figures.

The game was in doubt during stretches of the first half. Charlotte was down by as much as nine in the second quarter, but turned things around before halftime and came out in the second half determined to put Chicago away. It was a little harder than expected, but a win is a win.

There are some concerns that come from Tuesday night’s win, however. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist left the game early on with a hamstring injury. Cody Zeller also did not return to the court after having some knee soreness. This wasn’t enough to affect the final outcome tonight; however, it could be a concern tomorrow night.

The Charlotte Hornets’ next game will be against the Boston Celtics in the Garden, at 7:30 p.m. EST. They will look to continue their current win streak which currently stands at five games. FiveThirtyEight gives Charlotte a 29 percent chance to make the playoffs, which is considerably higher than the 9 percent mark given to them after the loss they suffered to the Raptors at home. However, they remain four back of the Miami Heat, who escaped with a 102-101 win over the 76ers.