The visiting Portland Trail Blazers’ 109-101 loss to the Charlotte Hornets featured a 44-point first quarter for the home team. Fueled by a nearly-perfect shooting performance, the Hornets built a solid lead and stood their ground to secure a much-needed victory on Sunday.
After the game, The Oregonian’s Aaron Fentress highlighted Carmelo Anthony’s comments on the Blazers’ awful opening frame.
“It just seemed like everything was going for them,” Anthony said. “They were running their plays, they were making their shots, they were hustling and they were beating us to a lot of loose basketballs out there.