The Toronto Raptors are celebrating after a 97-96 win against the Charlotte Hornets inside the Spectrum Center.
The teams were tied at 94-94 in the final minute of the game as the clock was winding down, but LaMelo Ball was able to drive to the rim and hit the layup to take a two-point lead with 1.6 seconds to go. However, the Raptors had one last chance to tie or win the game.
LaMelo Ball helps the Hornets take the lead
Poor defensive execution here pic.twitter.com/AivqkUL63d
— Esfandiar Baraheni (@JustEsBaraheni) January 8, 2026
Sandro Mamukelashvili inbounded the ball to Immanuel Quickley, who nailed the 3-point buzzer beater to give the Raptors the win.
IMMANUEL QUICKLEY FOR THE WINNNNNNNNNN pic.twitter.com/5uRk4Yffgn
— Esfandiar Baraheni (@JustEsBaraheni) January 8, 2026
Raptors get clutch win over Hornets
R.J. Barrett led the Raptors in scoring with 28 points on 12-of-25 shooting. Quickley had 21 points, while Scottie Barnes had 17. Rookie Collin Murray-Boyles only had 4 points but he grabbed 15 rebounds to lead the game. Leading scorer Brandon Ingram only played in 11 minutes and left the game in the first half, only scoring six points and grabbing three blocks. The Raptors also had Mamukelashvili really score 10 points off the bench.
The Hornets had 22 points off the bench from Collin Sexton to lead the way. While Ball had 15 points, seven rebounds and seven assists. Rookie of the year candidate Kon Knueppel struggled, scoring just 11 points on 4-17 shooting while Miles Bridges added 12 points of his own.
The Raptors didn’t have the best offensive game, but they made the final shot when it counted most and grabbed a big win over the Hornets. This is the difference between the good and great teams in the league. Great teams find a way to pull out wins even on nights where the team doesn’t perform up to par, and that’s what the Raptors were able to do against the Hornets.
The win marks three straight victories for the Raptors, and they are continuing to roll as the season approaches the halfway point. The team is now 23-15 through 38 games, which places them at number four in the Eastern Conference, one game back of the New York Knicks and Boston Celtics.
The Raptors are back in action on Friday night when they take on the Celtics for a chance to move up in the standings. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET inside TD Garden. Fans can watch the game on TSN Sports or stream it on NBA League Pass.
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