Hornets beat Bucks 110-107 after nearly squandering big lead

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Kemba Walker and Jeremy Lamb each had 21 points, and the Charlotte Hornets held on to beat the Milwaukee Bucks 110-107 on Monday night after nearly squandering a 25-point, third-quarter lead.

Marvin Williams added 16 points and eight rebounds, and Tony Parker had 15 points off the bench for the Hornets, who bounced back from a loss at Atlanta on Sunday night and ended a two-game skid.

The Bucks nearly came all the way back, cutting the lead to one with 17 seconds left on a layup by Giannis Antetokounmpo.

But Walker made two free throws with 7.1 seconds left and the Bucks failed to get off a good shot after a side inbounds, with Eric Bledsoe forced to launch an off-balance 3-pointer at the buzzer that hit off the glass and the rim and bounced away as time expired.

Antetokounmpo had 20 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists. Bledsoe scored 17 points.

The Hornets got a huge emotional lift from Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, who returned after missing six games with an ankle injury. He finished with seven points and seven rebounds, but his defense was big, including an impressive block on Khris Middleton’s fast-break layup.

The Bucks looked sloppy and disorganized on offense for most of the game, finishing with 16 turnovers.

After spotting the Bucks a 28-14 lead in the first quarter, the Hornets took control and outscored the Bucks 57-24 over the next 22 minutes behind a 3-point barrage led by Lamb and Williams.

TIP-INS

Bucks: Were 7-of-9 on 3-pointers in the game’s first 5 ½ minutes to build a 28-14 lead.

Hornets: Lamb has scored at least 18 points in six of his last seven games.

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