CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The Charlotte Hornets have come to expect big outings from Kemba Walker in every game this season. The point guard is their leading scorer and their clutch shooter when they need big buckets.

So it was no surprise that Walker led the Hornets with 22 points as Charlotte pounded the Brooklyn Nets 113-99 on Friday.

What wasn't entirely expected was the play of another Hornets guard. Second-year player Troy Daniels poured in 17 points -- hitting 5-of-7 from 3-point range -- to help push the Hornets to 46-33 and secure no worse than the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs. With three games remaining, Charlotte still could finish anywhere from the third to sixth seed.

The Nets, meanwhile, lost their seventh game in a row, and their 11th straight road game in falling to 21-58. Wayne Ellington led Brooklyn with 21 points on 8-for-12 shooting, while Thomas Robinson added 16 points and 17 rebounds.

The Hornets began to pull away at the end of the second quarter, when Daniels hit two 3-pointers and Walker added another in an 11-2 surge in the final 3:11 before intermission. Charlotte led 50-43 at halftime.

"Troy Daniels came in and gave them a big push," Robinson said. "I think he kind of sparked it … and we just couldn't catch them after that. They started hitting shots."

Charlotte seized real dominance in the third quarter when the Hornets outscored Brooklyn 34-21 behind 11 points from Walker. Marvin Williams (12 points) added six points in that period, while Nicolas Batum (14 points, six rebounds, six assists) had five points and four rebounds.

Brooklyn, meanwhile, shot 32 percent in the third quarter.

Daniels didn't score at all that quarter, but he added eight more points in the fourth quarter, as he led the Hornets reserves in holding onto the victory.

"If you watch him, he does what a true professional does," Hornets coach Steve Clifford said. "He's in great shape, his game is in rhythm because he does so much extra to work out. He goes right in the game and knows what's going on."

Daniels averages just 9.9 minutes per game, and has seen action in only 39 games this season.

"Troy will go two-three weeks and maybe not see the court, but he'll come in and play big minutes like he did tonight and not miss a beat," Marvin Williams said.

After the game was over, Hornets coach Clifford delayed speaking to media until he saw the outcome of the Orlando Magic-Miami Heat game; the Magic victory meant the Hornets now share an identical record with the Heat.

"It's going to come down to the wire," Williams said. "Guys are really competing for home-court advantage."

NOTES: Charlotte F Nicolas Batum played Friday after missing two games with a strained left knee. The Hornets are 6-6 without Batum in the starting lineup this season. ... Even though the Hornets have clinched a spot in the playoffs, don't expect starters suddenly to begin sitting out the remaining three games of the regular season to rest. Charlotte coach Steve Clifford said he is an "old-school" believer in rhythm being more important than rest heading into the postseason. "I think what's happened is everybody in a certain way emulates San Antonio, but when you watch, San Antonio has a seasonal plan," Clifford said. "They're sitting guys out periodically starting in December. It's very organized. I think there's a big difference between what they do versus, 'We make the playoffs and now we're going to sit three out of six games.'" ... Brooklyn rookie F Chris McCullough notched his first start of the season against the Hornets and scored a career-high 12 points, one game after recording career highs in points (10), steals (five) and minutes played (25) at Washington on Wednesday. "There were a couple plays there in the second half that we hadn't seen him make, putting it on the deck, getting to the rim," Nets coach Tony Brown said. "We like his activity." ... Both Nets C Brook Lopez and F Thaddeus Young missed the game to rest.