A week full of home games didn’t start the way the Charlotte Hornets needed it to Sunday.
Portland Trail Blazers reserve Rodney Hood went off for 21 fourth-quarter points to beat the Hornets 118-108. All-Star Kemba Walker had an uncharacteristically bad shooting day, finishing 5-of-21 from the field for 18 points. He did have a season-high 12 assists.
The Hornets fell to 29-34 and out of the top eight in the Eastern Conference, which are the playoff teams at the end of the season. The Blazers improved to 39-24.
Portland center Jusuf Nurkic finished with 26 points, 15 rebounds and six assists.