It was Mascot Day inside Spectrum Center, bringing together a collection of furry friends from the area and all over the country.
Homer the Dragon of the Charlotte Knights joined the likes of Chicago’s Benny the Bull, Phoenix’s Gorilla and, of course, Hugo the Hornet to entertain the masses. They tossed up one-handed over-the-shoulder trick shots from halfcourt and when Hugo hit his, a massive cheer erupted from the sellout crowd of 19,254.
For a while, it felt as if that was the pinnacle of the afternoon for Charlotte Hornets fans.
But they were treated to a gritty second-half effort by the home team, which found a way to close it out against their Southeast Division nemesis.