Kon Knueppel hits 5 3-pointers, scores 21 points to lead Hornets past Raptors, 111-86

TORONTO (AP) — Kon Knueppel hit five 3-pointers and scored 21 points and the Charlotte Hornets beat the Toronto Raptors 111-86 on Friday night to end a two-game losing streak.

Knueppel added eight assists, and Miles Bridges had 15 points and nine rebounds.

Hornets guard LaMelo Ball had 11 points, two rebounds and three assists in 12 minutes before leaving the game with left ankle soreness.

Immanuel Quickley scored a season-high 31 points for Toronto. The Raptors lost at home to the Los Angeles Lakers 123-120 the night before.

Scottie Barnes had 13 points and five assists. Raptors reserve forward Jamison Battle left the game with 11 minutes left after spraining his left ankle.

Hornets: Host Denver on Sunday night.

Raptors: Host Boston on Sunday night.

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Charlotte Hornets' Sion James (4) strips the ball from Toronto Raptors' Jamal Shead (23) during second half NBA basketball action in Toronto on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Raptors' Brandon Ingram (3) shoots past Charlotte Hornets' Ryan Kalkbrenner (11) during second half NBA basketball action in Toronto on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

Charlotte Hornets' Lamelo Ball (1) scores past Toronto Raptors' Immanuel Quickley, front left, during first-half NBA basketball game action in Toronto, Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

Charlotte Hornets' Ryan Kalkbrenner (11) shoots over Toronto Raptors' Jakob Poeltl (19) during first half NBA basketball action in Toronto on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

Charlotte Hornets' Kon Knueppel (7) drives past Toronto Raptors' Ja'Kobe Walter (14) during first half NBA basketball action in Toronto on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

ATLANTA (AP) — Nikola Jokic scored 39 points and the Denver Nuggets rallied from 23 points down with a big fourth quarter to beat the Atlanta Hawks 134-133 on Friday night.

Jamal Murray had 23 points and 12 assists, and Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 17 points for the Nuggets, who have won nine straight road games.

The Hawks had a chance for a tying 3-pointer on their final possession, but Murray blocked the attempt by Nickeil Alexander-Walker. The loose ball led to a layup by Alexander-Walker with 2 seconds left, and the Nuggets quickly inbounded the ball and ran out the clock.

Jalen Johnson had 21 points, 18 rebounds and a career-high 16 assists for the Hawks, who have lost three straight. Johnson, who missed Wednesday’s game with a strained calf, became the first Hawks player in the play-by-play era to record a triple-double by halftime. He had 11 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists at the break.

Alexander-Walker finished with 30 points and Kristaps Porzingas had 25.

Jokic shot 2 for 13 in the first half, but ended 13 for 26 and had nine rebounds and eight assists.

The Nuggets trailed 103-94 at the end of the third quarter, but opened the fourth with a 23-3 blitz, all with Jokic on the bench. Cam Johnson had three 3-pointers during the run and the Nuggets hit their first seven 3-pointers of the fourth.

The Hawks took a big lead in the first quarter. Atlanta hit 13 of its first 15 shots and had 13 assists by quarter's end, a season-high for a single quarter. The Hawks led 41-23 at the quarter and their lead topped out at 63-40 in the second quarter.

Nuggets play at Charlotte on Sunday for the third of a four-game trip. Hawks visit Washington on Saturday in their fifth back-to-back this season.

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Atlanta Hawks guard Dyson Daniels, right, shoots the ball over Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Colin Hubbard)

Denver Nuggets guard Peyton Watson, center, dunks during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Atlanta Hawks, Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Colin Hubbard)

Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray, left, shoots against Atlanta Hawks forward Zaccharie Risacher during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Colin Hubbard)

Atlanta Hawks guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker (7) looks to pass the ball defended by Denver Nuggets forward Spencer Jones, left, during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Colin Hubbard)

Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, left, shoots the ball over Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson (1) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Colin Hubbard)