National Basketball Association

Kemba Walker scores season-high 30, Hornets edge Nets 99-95

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 11:14 p.m. ET

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NEW YORK (AP) Kemba Walker scored a season-high 30 points and the Charlotte Hornets improved their best start in 16 years to 4-1 by beating the Brooklyn Nets 99-95 on Friday night.

Nicolas Batum added 18 points and nine rebounds, while Marvin Williams, who missed his first 10 shots, made a 3-pointer with 1:05 left after the Nets had cut the lead to one point.

Reserve Sean Kilpatrick scored 19 points for the Nets, who didn't have starting point guard Jeremy Lin available to face his former team because of a strained left hamstring that will keep him sidelined for at least two weeks.

Brook Lopez added 18 points and Trevor Booker had 12 points and 13 rebounds for the Nets, who because of injuries had to turn to rookie Isaiah Whitehead, a second-round pick out of Seton Hall, to make his first career start. The Brooklyn native finished with eight points.