Porter scores 35 points as the Nets beat the Hornets 116-103

NEW YORK (AP) — Michael Porter Jr. scored 35 points, Noah Clowney had 18 and the Brooklyn Nets beat the Charlotte Hornets 116-103 on Monday night.

Nic Claxton added 13 points, 11 rebounds and six assists for Brooklyn, which had lost four in a row. Reserves Danny Wolf and Drake Powell each scored 10 points.

Porter went 7 for 11 from 3-point range. The Nets went 17 for 43 from beyond the arc, compared to 12 for 32 for the Hornets.

Kon Knueppel scored 18 points for Charlotte, which had won two in a row. LaMelo Ball had 12 points and 14 assists, and Collin Sexton finished with 15 points.

The Hornets closed to 96-93 on Liam McNeeley's two foul shots with 7:06 left. But Wolf converted a layup and Porter made a pullup jumper to increase the Nets' lead to 100-93 with 6:16 remaining.

Wolf and Clowney connected from long range to make it 112-98 with 2:36 left.

The game was tied at 59 at halftime. Porter scored 17 points in the first half, and Knueppel had 12 at the break.

Hornets: At the New York Knicks on Wednesday night.

Nets: At the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday night.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball, left, drives past Brooklyn Nets guard Egor Demin (8) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, Dec. 1, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

Brooklyn Nets center Day'Ron Sharpe, left, drives past Charlotte Hornets forward Moussa Diabate (14) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Monday, Dec. 1, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

Brooklyn Nets forward Michael Porter Jr., left, drives past Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball, right, during the first half of an NBA basketball game Monday, Dec. 1, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

Brooklyn Nets forward Michael Porter Jr. looks to shoot during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Charlotte Hornets, Monday, Dec. 1, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

Brooklyn Nets forward Michael Porter Jr. (17) looks to shoot between Charlotte Hornets guard Sion James, left, and forward Miles Bridges (0) during the second half of an NBA basketball game Monday, Dec. 1, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

CHICAGO (AP) — A potential replay challenge by the Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday was denied because first-year manager Kurt Suzuki waited too long to make the appeal.

The play occurred with the Chicago Cubs batting in the third inning of the Angels' 6-2 loss in the series finale at a chilly Wrigley Field. Nico Hoerner doubled into the gap in left-center, and Miguel Amaya used a headfirst slide to score the first run of the game.

Shortstop Zach Neto's throw beat Amaya to the plate. It was unclear if Amaya's left hand touched home, and if it got in there ahead of catcher Travis d'Arnaud's tag. Umpire David Rackley ruled Amaya was safe.

Suzuki held up his hand in the direction of the field before deciding to challenge. But the umpires did not initiate a replay review because they said Suzuki took too long to make his decision.

According to Major League Baseball's replay regulations, once a manager notifies an umpire that a club is considering a challenge, the umpire “will hold play until the earlier of the expiration of the 15-Second Determination Timer ... or an indication from the Manager that the Club is not going to challenge the play.”

“When a close play happens like that, the manager is required to immediately hold, to signal to start the clock, which is 15 seconds,” crew chief Chris Guccione told a pool reporter. “So once I see a manager hold by raising his hand, I'll radio up to the press box, to the tech up there, who then starts the clock. So then from that point they've got 15 seconds to either wave it off, challenge, whatever they need to do.”

The 15 seconds is displayed on the pitch clock, and umpires wear a communication device that buzzes when the clock strikes zero.

“There's zeros and the buzz, and then Kurt came up just a little late,” Guccione said.

Suzuki said bench coach John Gibbons, who is the conduit between the manager and Angels staffers looking at the replay, said the timing of the challenge decision was close.

“He said it was a judgment thing,” Suzuki said. “He said it was like zero-bam and then I challenged, so it was like right after. If we’re late, we’re late. Can’t really argue that. Even if it’s a half-second, a second, you can’t argue that. If you’re late, you’re late.”

The Cubs went on to score four more runs in the third, including two with two outs in the inning.

The Angels challenged a successful steal by Hoerner in the sixth, but the call was upheld.

The time limit for deciding whether to request a replay challenge was lowered from 20 to 15 seconds when the pitch clock was instituted as part of a package of rules changes ahead of the 2023 season.

The 42-year-old Suzuki took over as the team's manager in October. He spent the previous three seasons as a special assistant to Angels general manager Perry Minasian.

Suzuki was a major league catcher for five teams over 16 seasons, winning a World Series with Washington in 2019. He had no major league coaching experience when he was hired as manager.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Los Angeles Angels manager Kurt Suzuki, left, attempts to challenge a play with an umpire during the third inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs in Chicago, Wednesday, April 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)

Los Angeles Angels manager Kurt Suzuki, left, attempts to challenge a play with an umpire during the third inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs in Chicago, Wednesday, April 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)