The Charlotte Hornets defeated the Dallas Mavericks, 110-104, at Spectrum Center on Sunday afternoon.

The Hornets (25-51) enjoyed a strong start and tightened things up when they needed to, as they used a strong performance in the fourth quarter to get past the Mavericks (36-39) in the game that opened Sunday’s slate. Charlotte looked dominant in the first quarter and raced out to a 30-16 lead following the opening 12 minutes. However, Dallas responded with a 32-25 score to make it a seven-point game at halftime. The Hornets won the third quarter by a 26-24 score and seemed in control, but the Mavs had other plans. Led by Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, the Mavericks grabbed the lead in the fourth quarter and seemed poised to mount a comeback. The Hornets responded when it mattered the most, though, and Charlotte secured the win thanks to his better execution -- comparatively -- in the final minutes. The Hornets moved to 13-24 at home with the win, while the Mavericks fell to 14-24 on the road.

Gordon Hayward scored 22 points while adding six rebounds and four assists for the Hornets. P.J. Washington had a 21-point, 12-rebound double-double that also included four assists and a block. Mark Williams returned to the starting lineup with a double-double of 15 points and 16 rebounds. Dennis Smith Jr. recorded 14 points, six assists and five rebounds. JT Thor and Bryce McGowens both had nine points off the bench.

Luka Doncic dazzled despite the loss, ending with 40 points, 12 rebounds, eight assists, two blocks and two steals. Kyrie Irving had 18 points, four rebounds, three assists and two steals. No other Dallas starter had double-digit points in this loss. Tim Hardaway Jr. delivered 15 points and five rebounds off the bench. Christian Wood chipped in with 14 points, four boards and two blocks.