Recap: PJ Washington scores career-high 43 points as Hornets top Thunder, 137-134

Mar 29, 2023 - 3:08 AM

Charlotte Hornets v Oklahoma City Thunder" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/29Q3krSqg3jZLyEo85fXsvzNkqY=/0x279:2129x1477/1920x1080/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72125588/1249814797.0.jpg" />

PJ Washington dropped a career-high 43 points, including 22 in the fourth quarter as his late-game takeover powered the Charlotte Hornets to a 137-134 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder, their third-straight.

Washington shot 16-24 from the floor, made five threes, added six rebounds and five assists to lead Charlotte (26-51) and became the sixth Hornet ever to have 40-5-5 in a game. Kai Jones logged his first-career double-double with career-highs of 12 points and 14 rebounds. Théo Maledon added season-highs of 19 points and nine assists with a career-high four blocks. JT Thor had career-highs of 14 points and four assists. James Bouknight tied his career-high of five assists and Svi Mykhailiuk’s two blocks were a career-best. Career-highs all around tonight.

Isaiah Joe led Oklahoma City (37-39) with 33 points, one of three Thunder to finish with 30-plus. Josh Giddey had 31, 10 rebounds and nine assists and Jalen Williams put up 31 on 11-16 shooting. Lu Dort added 16 points and seven rebounds. Giddey, Joe and Williams, all of whom are under the age of 23, combined for 95 points. Not bad.

With Dennis Smith Jr. a late scratch, Maledon and Bryce McGowens comprised the starting backcourt in just the second start of McGowens’ career. The Hornets came out strong in the first, which has developed into somewhat of a trend across the last few games. Charlotte didn’t shoot overly well but they did hold the Thunder to just 23 points, with Mykhailiuk providing a spark off the bench as they led 26-23 after one.

Washington led the offense all night long, racking up 12 points by the halfway point of the second, though the Hornets fell off the pace a bit as Oklahoma City’s offense woke up. The Thunder ended up bouncing back to score 45 points in the second and take a double-digit lead into the locker room, 68-57, getting basically whatever they wanted when driving into the paint. Washington had 14 points and three boards through the first two quarters.

McGowens’ third triple of the night got the Hornets within 10 at the start of the second half, then Washington buried one from the top of the key to make it 74-68 and force a Thunder timeout. The momentum went back and forth for the rest of the quarter, with the Thunder unable to build a substantial lead but getting enough crafty scoring from Giddey and Williams to create buckets whenever the Hornets got too close. Charlotte’s young players all made an impact while they battled to stay around. After Mykhailiuk’s bonus free throw, with less than two seconds to go, the Hornets trailed by just six, 99-93 at the end of the third.

The floodgates opened in the fourth quarter. Charlotte jumped out to a 16-4 run, storming back in front as Washington completely take over the game. He scored 14 points in less than five minutes as the Hornets put their foot on the gas, building a newfound lead out to 10 points before the Thunder could blink. Maledon’s three made it a 13-point game with 5:59 to go, but the Thunder fired back with a 19-6 run from there to tie it at 129. It got close, but the Hornets never fell behind late. Thanks to 22 fourth-quarter points from Washington and a couple of crucial misses at the line from Giddey and Williams in the closing seconds, the Hornets snuck out of Oklahoma City with their third-straight win.

The Hornets are back in action on Friday when they face the Chicago Bulls.