The Charlotte Hornets put the Philadelphia 76ers away with a timely switch to a zone defense.

After blowing a 19-point lead, Charlotte went to a zone defense that stopped a Philadelphia spurt and helped lift the Hornets to a 94-85 victory Wednesday night.

"It got them out of their rhythm when they were making their charge," Hornets coach Paul Silas said.

Lee Nailon had a career-high 27 points, Baron Davis added 19, P.J. Brown had 15 points and 13 rebounds, Elden Campbell had 12 points and 10 rebounds and David Wesley also had 12 points for the Hornets, who ended a two-game losing streak.

Allen Iverson led Philadelphia with 38 points on 13-of-30 shooting. Aaron McKie had 17 points and Derrick Coleman and Dikembe Mutombo each grabbed 12 rebounds for the 76ers, who had a two-game winning streak snapped and have lost eight of their past 10.

"We weren't getting stops so they could play zone," Iverson said. "Guys are not attacking, not taking the ball to the basket."

A jumper by Wesley as the shot clock buzzer sounded gave the Hornets a 90-84 lead with 1 minute, 9 seconds left. On the ensuing possession for Philadelphia, Campbell blocked a floater by Iverson, leading to layup by Nailon to put the game away.

After Nailon's fast-break dunk gave Charlotte a 79-68 lead early in the fourth quarter, the 76ers scored 10 straight, including eight by Iverson to close to 79-78 with 7:21 left. The Hornets then scored the next five, including two on free throws after Mutombo and Iverson were whistled for technicals during the same play, to go ahead 84-78 with 6:15 remaining.

The Hornets broke open a 64-64 tie in the third quarter by scoring 13 of the last 17 points of the quarter, with Nailon making three baskets in the final minute as Charlotte took a 77-68 lead. Charlotte's zone defense allowed the Sixers three baskets in the final seven minutes of the quarter.

"(The zone) really worked well," Wesley said. "We got them to stand around and take jump shots and when they did try to drive the lane we closed up the middle."

The first half consisted of two very different quarters. Charlotte outscored the Sixers 38-21 in the first quarter, thanks to 59 percent shooting (17-of-29) and a 16-6 rebounding advantage.

Philadelphia came back strong in the second quarter, rebounding from a 19-point deficit and scoring 26 of the last 35 points of the half to pull to 55-53 at halftime. Iverson had 13 points and was 4-of-7 from the field in the quarter.

NOTES: The Hornets' 38 first-quarter points were the most allowed by Philadelphia this season. The 32 scored by the 76ers in the second were their most this season. The win ended Charlotte's three-game losing streak in Philadelphia. Iverson has scored 30 or more points in four of his past five games.