Hornets tie NBA mark with 51 first-quarter points, rout Bucks

Charlotte guards Terry Rozier and LaMelo Ball took turns raining three-point baskets on the host Milwaukee Bucks, and the Hornets put together a record-setting first quarter in a 138-109 romp on Friday night, January 6 (Saturday, January 7, Manila time).

Rozier scored 39 points, bagging 6 treys, and Ball racked up 24 points, with 7 of his 8 field goals coming from three-point range, as the Hornets won for just the second time in seven games.

Charlotte scored 51 first-quarter points, tying the NBA record for most points in an opening quarter and setting a franchise record for any quarter. The Hornets also tied the highest single-quarter output in the league this season.

Charlotte racked up 14 of its 20 three-pointers in the first half, when it compiled 84 points.

PJ Washington finished with 23 points, including five treys, for the Hornets. Mason Plumlee had 17 points and 15 rebounds, Jalen McDaniels posted 11 points, and JT Thor had 10 points.

Ball, who finished with 12 assists, has poured in at least 20 points in 14 consecutive games.

The Bucks, who had won three of four games entering the night, never got in much of a rhythm. They were led by 19 points from reserve Bobby Portis Jr. AJ Green had 13 points, while Jrue Holiday and Grayson Allen both provided 12 points.

Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo, one of the NBA’s leading scorers, was limited to a season-low 9 points on 2-for-7 shooting from the field in 22 minutes. His previous low this season was 16 points, done twice.

The Bucks committed 17 turnovers to just 5 for Charlotte.

Milwaukee was in an 84-60 halftime hole. Rozier had 25 of those first-half points for the Hornets, who had season-highs with 84 points in the half. The point total was the second-highest mark for any half in franchise history.

Charlotte scored 25 points in the game’s first five minutes.

Even with all the scoring from the Hornets, the Bucks matched them from beyond the three-point line as both teams shot 20-for-48 on treys. 

Milwaukee’s three-point shooting was led by Portis, Holiday, Allen, and Green with three apiece.

It was a rare home dud for the Bucks, who fell to 16-5 at home. – Rappler.com