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TORONTO -- There was bloodletting in more ways than one Tuesday night when the Charlotte Hornets were thoroughly outplayed by the Milwaukee Bucks. Late in that game, the blood flowed profusely from just above the nose of Marco Belinelli after he bumped heads with a Bucks player.
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He feared he might have broken his nose, but after receiving seven stitches, he was able to play against the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday night.
And did he play.
The former Raptor scored 21 points off the bench, 11 in the fourth quarter, as the Hornets kept their flickering playoff hopes alive with a 110-106 comeback victory.
Marvin Williams and Kemba Walker also scored 11 points each in the final quarter to end the Raptors' six-game winning streak and tie the season series at 2-2.
Walker's 3-pointer on a pull-up jumper with 37.5 seconds left broke a 101-101 tie and put the Hornets ahead to stay, completing a comeback from an 11-point deficit in the third quarter.
Williams hit a 3-pointer with 8.7 seconds remaining to make the lead four points.
Williams praised Belinelli's effort.
"It was huge, absolutely huge," Williams said. "He has been big for us all year, as hard as he works and he was still able to get the ball and make the shot."
"They were hot as fire in the fourth quarter," Raptors coach Dwane Casey said. "We went from one of our best defensive quarters, 16 points in the third, to 44 in the fourth, and that was the difference in the game."
All of the Hornets mentioned how poor they were Tuesday at home in a 118-108 loss.
"Tonight was a big game for us after the bad loss to Milwaukee. Back to back. I think everybody was ready," Belinelli said. "We won a really important game. I wanted to win so bad; we wanted to win. Especially after yesterday, it was a really bad loss for us in front of our fans. We were down by 20 and didn't respond well."
Walker finished with 19 points and Williams tallied 18 points and 12 rebounds for the Hornets (34-41) while Nicolas Batum added 15 points and Frank Kaminsky chipped in 13.
"We just stuck with the game, really," Walker said. "We made big plays, especially defensively down the stretch."
DeMar DeRozan led Toronto with 28 points and eight assists, Cory Joseph had 18 points and Serge Ibaka 15. Jonas Valanciunas added 14 points and grabbed 15 rebounds, while Patrick Patterson and Norman Powell scored 10 points apiece for Toronto (45-30).
"They hit some big shots -- you have to give it to them -- especially 3-pointers when they needed them," DeRozan said. "Every time we scored they came back and answered with a big shot."
The Raptors entered the fourth quarter with an eight-point advantage.
The Hornets tied the game with 7:46 to play and again with 2:43 left. Walker's 3-pointer put Charlotte ahead by one with 1:55 to play.
Powell made one of two free throws with 57 seconds left to tie the game. Walker hit another 3-pointer, and Charlotte led by three.
Cody Zeller fouled out for Charlotte with 29.6 seconds left and DeRozan made both free throws to reduce the lead to one point. Williams responded with a 3-pointer.
"We hit a bunch of 3s," Hornets coach Steve Clifford said. "Basically, at the end of the day, coach (Pat) Riley says most nights it's a make-or-miss league. And we had eight 3s in the fourth, got a couple of stops when we needed them. But, at the end of the day, in the biggest possessions, we got some open 3s and knocked them in."
DeRozan hit a 16-foot jumper at the buzzer to end the first quarter, cutting the Hornets' advantage to 22-19.
Kaminsky completed a 3-point play with a free throw and Charlotte led by 10 in the second quarter.
The Raptors cut into the lead and DeRozan's 18-foot pull-up jumper beat the buzzer to end the first half as Charlotte took a 50-47 lead.
The Raptors led 74-66 after three quarters.
The Hornets scored the first seven points of the fourth quarter.
Ibaka picked up his fifth foul with 10:44 left, and Jeremy Lamb's reverse layup tied the game at 82 with 7:46 remaining.
Powell took advantage of a Hornets turnover to complete a fast break with a layup, and the Raptors took a five-point lead.
Williams hit a 3-pointer with 2:43 left to tie the game at 98.
"It's a tight race, but we have to focus on ourselves first off," Joseph said. "We need to focus on getting better."
NOTES: The Raptors are 1 1/2 games behind the third-place Washington Wizards in the Eastern Conference standings. ... Toronto F DeMarre Carroll returned to the lineup after missing two straight games with a sore lower back. ... Toronto C Jonas Valanciunas recorded his 27th double-double, with 14 points and 15 rebounds. ... Charlotte shot 50 percent (16-for-32) from 3-point range, including 8-for-10 in the fourth quarter. ... The Raptors play the third game of their four-game homestand Friday against the Indiana Pacers. ... The Hornets return home to play the Denver Nuggets at Spectrum Center on Friday.
