Hornets' Grant Williams Scores 11 Points In Season Debut As Suns Win 101-96

Grant Williams scored 11 points in his season debut for the Charlotte Hornets on Thursday and said his injury caused no problems.

Williams played 16 minutes off the bench in a 101-96 loss to the Phoenix Suns. The Suns let a 17-point lead slip away before they closed out the game in the final minute.

"No issues when it comes to the maintenance of the injury and things like that," Williams said after the game. "You just want to play more, but that's how return from injury comes."

Williams made 3 of 5 shots, including 2 of 4 from 3-point range, and all 3 of his free throws.

He scored 7 points in the second quarter, including a four-point play, during a Charlotte push. The Hornets trimmed a 48-31 deficit to 50-45 with 3:12 left in the half.

Williams is averaging 11.0 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.0 assists per game this season.

"I think that we did a lot of great things tonight as a group," Williams said. "I tried to just add to that."

"We also got things that we got to clean up, whether it's executing coverages and out of timeouts, things of that nature," Williams said. "Just being more focused and attentive. I could have been more vocal in that capacity."

Devin Booker paced Phoenix with 30 points and hit 4 3-pointers, while Dillon Brooks chipped in 15 points and made 3 from deep.

Collin Gillespie scored 13 points and made 3 3-pointers for the Suns, and Jalen Green had 12 points.

Former Hornets forward Miles Bridges added 11 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists for Phoenix in his first game against Charlotte. 

Coby White led Charlotte with a season-high 21 points, and Naz Reid finished with 16 points and 7 rebounds.

Grayson Allen scored 14 points with 4 3-pointers in his third straight start in place of Brandon Miller, who has a hip injury. Charlotte also played without Kon Knueppel and Dennis Schroder, who both have hamstring injuries.

Phoenix scored 38 points off Charlotte's 25 turnovers. Charlotte won the rebounding battle 51-31, and Moussa Diabate pulled down 13 rebounds for the Hornets.

A 33-11 run across the second and third quarters put the Hornets ahead 76-72. The Suns opened the fourth quarter on a 20-10 run, and a 3-pointer by Brooks made it 92-86 with 3:40 left.

Booker hit a long 3-pointer with 23.8 seconds remaining to give Phoenix a 97-91 lead.

Royce O'Neale answered with a 3-pointer and a free throw for Charlotte with 21.2 seconds left. Bridges made 2 free throws, and Booker added a steal and 2 more free throws with 9.9 seconds remaining.