CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The Charlotte Hornets have struggled at times to close out games this season.

That wasn't the case on Saturday night, though, as they pulled away down the stretch for a 112-105 victory over the Brooklyn Nets at the Spectrum Center.

The Hornets outscored the Nets 31-24 in the fourth quarter after the teams were tied 81-81 after three quarters, thanks to a 10-0 run in the final four minutes. The hero was Nicolas Batum, who scored seven points on two possessions in a span of 31 seconds to ignite the run.

Hornets coach Steve Clifford has often lamented his team's fourth-quarter difficulties, but he was pleased with how his team found a way to make plays down the stretch.

"The fourth quarter tonight was really a big deal to me," Clifford said. "They had the momentum, and we fought hard. Our defense got better. You know, 31-24 in the fourth quarter is what you want. You've got to play your best in the fourth quarter.

"It's been a struggle for us. Offensively, we've been good, but defensively we haven't been, and tonight we were good in both."

The Hornets (23-21) have now won three straight after a recent five-game losing streak. The win gave them just their second sweep of a back-to-back set this season, after they routed Toronto 113-78 at home on Friday night.

"I don't know what's wrong when we play Brooklyn," Batum said. "We almost lost the game tonight. But three wins in a row, that's pretty good for us."

The Hornets went on a 16-0 run early in the game and led by as many as 17 points in the first quarter. But the Nets battled back and led 98-97 before Batum provided pure magic.

Batum hit a 3-pointer and was fouled, and he made the free throw to give the Hornets the lead for good at 101-98 with 3:31 remaining. Then he hit another 3-pointer on the Hornets' next possession to push the lead to 104-98 with 2:50 left.

The Hornets eventually pushed the lead to nine and never let the Nets closer than five points the rest of the way.

"Those two 3s, obviously those were the two biggest plays of the game,” Clifford said.

"I didn't have a great shooting night," said Batum, who finished 6 of 16 from the field. "I missed some easy shots that I usually make. So in a close game like that, I need to make some big plays, and I did."

Michael Kidd-Gilchrist had 17 points and 14 rebounds in one of his best games of the season. Ramon Sessions added 17 off the bench. Batum and Kemba Walker each scored 16, Marco Belinelli chipped in with 14, Cody Zeller scored 12, and Frank Kaminsky finished with 10.

The Nets (9-34) found themselves in catch-up mode most of the night after missing 11 of their first 12 shots from the floor and falling behind 28-11. They got back into the game by outscoring the Hornets 35-21 in the third quarter.

Brook Lopez led the Nets with 24 points. Bojan Bogdanovic scored 16, Quincy Acy 14, Sean Kilpatrick 13 and Randy Foye 11.

The Nets were 17 of 41 from 3-point range.

"I think we are all a little upset with how we came out in the first half," Nets coach Kenny Atkinson said. "I don't think that's what we're looking for.

At halftime, we challenged them to come out with more physicality, more energetic, more physical. I was happy the guys came out in the third quarter and responded and got themselves back in the game and had a chance at the end. That's what you want on the road. Too bad we couldn't close it out."

The Nets seemed to be playing on fumes early after a 143-114 win on Friday night at New Orleans.

"We were definitely out there fighting," Lopez said. "I think what we've got to take away from this one, and last night's game as well, is the simple fact that we gave ourselves an opportunity to win, we really did.

"We came in and we were exhausted from last night and had a bad first quarter, but we responded to that. We came in the second half and definitely made it a game, and that's the way we've got to play every night."

NOTES: The teams had split two previous games this season. The Hornets won 99-95 in Brooklyn on Nov. 4 and the Nets won 120-118 in Brooklyn on Dec. 26. The teams will play one more time, in Charlotte on Feb. 7. ... The Nets were without G Jeremy Lin (strained hamstring) and G Joe Harris (sprained ankle). ... The Hornets were without G Jeremy Lamb (metatarsal inflammation). ... The Hornets came into the game leading the NBA in fewest fouls, and they were called for only one foul in the game's first 17 minutes. But they finished with 18 fouls. ... The Hornets' 35-point win over Toronto on Friday was their biggest margin of victory since they beat Miami by 39 in 2010, oddly enough also on Jan. 20. ... This was the third game of a five-game homestand for the Hornets. They will host Washington on Monday. ... The Nets will return home to face San Antonio on Monday.