Quickley’s Buzzer-Beating Three Lifts Raptors Over Hornets, 97–96.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Immanuel Quickley delivered a dramatic finish Wednesday night, sinking a 3-pointer as time expired to give the Toronto Raptors a thrilling 97–96 comeback victory over the Charlotte Hornets. The win marked Toronto’s fifth in its last six games. Toronto erased a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter behind strong performances from RJ Barrett, who scored 28 points and grabbed seven rebounds, and Quickley, who finished with 21 points. Scottie Barnes added 17 points to help seal the victory. Charlotte briefly regained the lead when LaMelo Ball scored on a left-handed drive with 1.6 seconds remaining, putting the Hornets ahead 96–94. However, Toronto executed a clean side-out play that freed Quickley at the top of the key, where he calmly knocked down his third 3-pointer of the night at the buzzer, silencing the home crowd. The Hornets were led by Collin Sexton’s 22 points, while Ball contributed 15. Charlotte struggled with ball security, committing 18 turnovers compared to just six by Toronto, a key factor in the close loss. After an early 11–2 Charlotte run, Toronto responded with a 17–3 surge to seize momentum. The Hornets carried a 50–45 lead into halftime, aided by Kon Knueppel’s 11 points, though he endured a difficult shooting night, finishing 4-for-17 overall and 3-for-11 from beyond the arc.

Charlotte extended its lead early in the fourth quarter when Moussa Diabate intercepted a pass at midcourt and scored on a spinning layup. Toronto responded by heating up from long range, hitting four of seven 3-point attempts in the final period after making just three total in the first three quarters. Barrett’s late 3-pointer gave the Raptors the lead before the final exchange. Toronto will next travel to Boston to face the Celtics on Friday, while Charlotte hosts the Indiana Pacers on Thursday.