Hornets rally from 22 down for seventh straight win

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Hornets rally from 22 down for seventh straight win image

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — LaMelo Ball overcame an early head-to-head collision with coach Charles Lee to score 24 points, and the surging Charlotte Hornets fought back from a 22-point deficit to beat the New Orleans Pelicans 102-95 on Monday for their seventh straight win.

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Kon Knueppel added 17 points, hitting four 3s, and Brandon Miller and Grant Williams each scored 16 as Charlotte pulled within a half-game of the Atlanta Hawks for the 10th spot in the Eastern Conference.

Photo by Brock Williams-Smith/NBAE via Getty Images

The Hornets overcame 17 turnovers while matching their longest winning streak since March 2016.

Trey Murphy III scored 27 points to lead the Pelicans, who have lost six of their last nine. Zion Williamson finished with 14 points and 11 rebounds, while Derik Queen had 16 points.

Ball left the game briefly in the first quarter with an eye laceration after banging heads with Lee as Ball was trying to save an errant pass from going out of bounds.

He returned a few minutes later and scored 18 points on three 3s in the first half, but the Hornets still found themselves trailing 64-49 at the break after shooting 7 of 30 from beyond 3-point range and committing 10 turnovers.

Charlotte stormed back to take the lead in the fourth quarter on a blow-by drive and two-handed dunk by Ball.

The Hornets later pushed the lead to nine when Miller, the Eastern Conference Player of the Week, picked Herbert Jones’ pocket at midcourt and raced in for a soaring one-handed dunk.