Charlotte Hornets
The Charlotte Hornets are a rising team in the NBA, representing the heart of North Carolina with their signature teal and purple pride. Playing out of the Spectrum Center in Uptown Charlotte, the Hornets bring energy, athleticism, and a loyal fan base that keeps the city buzzing. Originally founded in 1988, the team has gone through its share of rebrands and rebuilds but remains committed to building a young, exciting roster with big potential. From iconic moments in franchise history to the promise of a bright future, the Hornets continue to embody the grit and passion of the Queen City—ready to make noise in the league once again.
Game Recaps
Articles Written By: Vickie Mathis
Hornets dominate Thunder 124-97 in lopsided road win OKLAHOMA CITY — Brandon Miller poured in 28 points as Charlotte delivered a surprising 124-97 defeat to the NBA-leading Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday night. Kon Knueppel chipped in 23 points for the Hornets, who entered the matchup having dropped three of their previous four games. Charlotte handed Oklahoma City its most one-sided loss of the season and held the Thunder to a season-low scoring output. It also marked the only time Oklahoma City has failed to reach 100 points this year. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 21 points, extending his streak to 108 consecutive games with at least 20 points — the second-longest run in league history. The All-Star guard struggled from the floor, shooting 7-for-21, and watched the entire fourth quarter from the bench as the Thunder trailed by a wide margin. The loss was Oklahoma City’s second straight and just its second home defeat of the season. After opening the year 24-1, the defending champions now sit at 30-7. Charlotte jumped out to a 21-9 lead early, but Oklahoma City responded behind reserve Ajay Mitchell, who scored 10 points in the opening period to help pull the Thunder even at 33 after one quarter. The Hornets took control again in the second quarter, building a 67-50 advantage at halftime. Miller led all scorers with 19 points before the break, while Oklahoma City struggled at the free-throw line, converting only 8 of 15 attempts. Gilgeous-Alexander was limited to nine points on 3-of-12 shooting in the first half. Charlotte added to its lead early in the third when LaMelo Ball saved the ball near the sideline and followed with an acrobatic jumper from the corner, pushing the margin to 74-55. A late three-pointer from Miller sent the Hornets into the fourth quarter up 99-71, and Charlotte cruised the rest of the way.
Miles Bridges powered Charlotte with 26 points and 14 rebounds as the Hornets snapped a skid by defeating the Chicago Bulls 112-99 on Saturday night. Brandon Miller chipped in 22 points, including several timely shots during a decisive second-half surge, while Kon Knueppel added 18. LaMelo Ball finished with 17 points and seven assists as Charlotte rebounded after losing three straight games. The Hornets also continued their success in back-to-back situations, improving to 5-2 in those scenarios. Chicago was led by Nikola Vucevic, who posted 28 points, eight assists, and seven rebounds. Matas Buzelis contributed 17 points for the Bulls, who closed a six-game homestand at .500 after a win over Orlando the night before. After trailing by as many as 15 points and going into halftime down 58-50, Charlotte flipped the momentum with a dominant third quarter. The Hornets outscored the Bulls 32-17 in the period, with Miller knocking down three 3-pointers as Chicago struggled offensively, shooting just 5-for-23 from the field. Charlotte carried a seven-point edge into the fourth and then put the game away with a 10-0 run. Miller punctuated the stretch with a fadeaway jumper that pushed the lead to 105-87 with just over four minutes remaining. Despite being shorthanded in the frontcourt, the Hornets controlled the glass 52-43. Charlotte was without Moussa Diabate, Ryan Kalkbrenner, Mason Plumlee, Grant Williams, and Tidjane Salaun due to injuries. The Bulls also played short-handed, missing guards Josh Giddey and Coby White for a third straight game. Jalen Smith exited in the third quarter following a collision with Ball and was later evaluated for a concussion. Ayo Dosunmu provided an early spark for Chicago, scoring 14 first-half points on efficient shooting and drilling a half-court buzzer-beater to close the opening quarter.
Giannis Antetokounmpo delivered the deciding moment Friday night, finishing a lob pass with a powerful dunk in the final seconds to lift the Milwaukee Bucks past the Charlotte Hornets, 122-121. Antetokounmpo posted 30 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists, marking his NBA-record 158th game with at least 30 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists. With the performance, he moved past both Oscar Robertson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who previously shared the mark. The final moments featured rapid momentum swings, with the lead changing three times in the closing 10.5 seconds. Kyle Kuzma appeared to put Milwaukee in control by knocking down a 3-pointer with 10.3 seconds remaining, giving the Bucks a two-point edge. Charlotte responded after a timeout when Miles Bridges drove to the basket, finished through contact, and drew Kuzma’s sixth foul. Bridges converted the free throw to complete the three-point play and reclaim the lead for the Hornets with 8.8 seconds left. Milwaukee used its final timeout to set up the winning sequence. Kevin Porter Jr. inbounded the ball to Antetokounmpo, who briefly gave it back before cutting to the rim. Porter then lofted a return pass, and Antetokounmpo rose to throw down the go-ahead dunk with 4.7 seconds remaining, sealing the one-point victory.
NEW YORK — Michael Porter Jr. poured in 35 points and Noah Clowney added 18 as the Brooklyn Nets stopped their four-game slide with a 116–103 win over the Charlotte Hornets on Monday night. Nic Claxton delivered a well-rounded performance with 13 points, 11 rebounds and six assists. Brooklyn also got a boost from its bench, with Danny Wolf and Drake Powell each contributing 10 points. Porter was particularly deadly from deep, hitting 7 of 11 attempts. As a team, the Nets knocked down 17 threes on 43 tries, outshooting Charlotte’s 12-for-32 mark from long distance. Kon Knueppel led the Hornets with 18 points. LaMelo Ball posted a double-double with 12 points and 14 assists, while Collin Sexton added 15. Charlotte made a push in the fourth quarter, trimming the deficit to 96–93 after two free throws from Liam McNeeley with a little over seven minutes left. But Brooklyn responded quickly — Wolf finished at the rim, and Porter followed with a mid-range jumper to push the margin back to seven. From there, Wolf and Clowney drained back-to-back threes to stretch the lead to 112–98 with just over two minutes remaining, sealing the win. The teams were locked at 59-all at halftime. Porter had 17 points by the break, while Knueppel paced Charlotte with 12.
ATLANTA — Jalen Johnson powered the Hawks to a 113–110 win over the Hornets on Sunday night, finishing with 28 points, 11 assists, and eight rebounds as Atlanta picked up its seventh victory in its last nine outings. Nickeil Alexander-Walker added 23 points and five boards, while Dyson Daniels contributed 22 points and nine rebounds. Onyeka Okongwu also delivered a strong showing with 20 points. Charlotte dropped its sixth straight game despite an impressive effort from rookie Kon Knueppel, who scored 28 points and broke the franchise’s rookie record with seven made threes. With the Hornets down 112–110 in the final seconds, Alexander-Walker stripped Knueppel on a drive and was fouled, splitting the resulting free throws. Charlotte still managed to get off a potential game-tying shot, but Miles Bridges’ contested three at the buzzer missed everything. Johnson’s performance also extended his streak to eight consecutive games with at least 15 points, five rebounds, and five assists—a new Hawks record.
RJ Barrett delivered the decisive basket with 18 seconds remaining, lifting the Toronto Raptors to a narrow 110-108 victory over the Charlotte Hornets on Monday. Key defensive plays from Brandon Ingram and Scottie Barnes in the closing moments helped secure the win, marking Toronto’s eighth triumph in their last nine games. Ingram led the team with 27 points, while Barnes and Barrett contributed 16 apiece. Immanuel Quickley added a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds as the Raptors notched their fourth consecutive win.
Gilgeous-Alexander, Holmgren Spark Thunder to 109-96 Win Over Hornets CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 33 points and Chet Holmgren added 25 as the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder pulled away in the third quarter to beat the Charlotte Hornets 109-96 on Saturday, marking their fifth consecutive victory. Ajay Mitchell contributed 14 points for the Thunder, who have won 23 straight games against Eastern Conference opponents and are 22-2 in their last 24 road contests. Isiah Hartenstein recorded a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds, while Cason Wallace added 10 points. For Charlotte, Miles Bridges led with 15 points, while Ryan Kalkbrenner, Collin Sexton, and Moussa Diabate each scored 13. The Hornets were without Brandon Miller (shoulder subluxation) and LaMelo Ball, who sat out the second game of a back-to-back following his return from an ankle impingement on Friday. The first half was tightly contested, featuring 11 ties and 11 lead changes. After a 30-30 first quarter, Oklahoma City overcame a six-point deficit in the second to take a 55-52 halftime lead, fueled by 18 points from Gilgeous-Alexander and Holmgren’s strong presence on the boards. Charlotte shot 10 of 24 from three-point range in the first half, while the Thunder made 6 of 12. Oklahoma City then opened the third quarter with a 16-1 run over four minutes, building a 15-point lead and heading into the fourth up 87-70.
Lakers Pull Away in Second Half to Beat Hornets 121-111 CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Luka Doncic scored 38 points, and Rui Hachimura added 21—including 13 in a dominant third quarter—as the Los Angeles Lakers pulled away to defeat the Charlotte Hornets 121-111 on Monday night. Austin Reaves chipped in 24 points for the Lakers, who have won six of their past seven games. The Hornets were led by Miles Bridges with 34 points on seven 3-pointers and rookie Kon Knueppel, who narrowly missed a triple-double with 19 points, 10 rebounds, and nine assists. Charlotte continued to struggle without LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller. The Lakers broke the game open in the third quarter, outscoring Charlotte 31-15 as Hachimura hit three 3-pointers while defenses keyed on Doncic. Doncic dazzled the crowd with five triples, a flying dunk, and a highlight reel floater after a timeout in the fourth. The Hornets cut the lead to eight late, but Doncic sealed key points with a three-point play down the lane.
Powell Leads Heat Past Hornets, 126-108, After Historic First Quarter MIAMI — Norman Powell poured in 25 points as the Miami Heat surged past the Charlotte Hornets, 126-108, in Friday night’s NBA Cup matchup. The win was especially emotional for coach Erik Spoelstra, who secured the victory just a day after losing his home to a fire. Miami received strong contributions from Andrew Wiggins, who scored 22 points, and Pelle Larsson with 19. Charlotte got a breakout performance from rookie Kon Knueppel, who notched a career-high 30 points. Tre Mann added 20, while Miles Bridges recorded 14 points, 12 rebounds, and seven assists. The Heat set the tone early, putting up a franchise-record 53 points in the first quarter — marking the second-highest opening quarter in NBA history. At one point, Miami held a 26-point lead with 9:20 remaining in the second, 64-38. Charlotte mounted a furious comeback with a 27-2 run to narrow the gap to 66-65, but the Hornets never took the lead. Miami ultimately pulled away in the fourth quarter to secure the win.
Alvarado Lifts Pelicans to First Win, 116-112 Over Hornets NEW ORLEANS — Jose Alvarado buried a clutch three-pointer with 16 seconds left to give the New Orleans Pelicans their first win of the season, holding off the Charlotte Hornets 116-112 on Tuesday night. Trey Murphy III led the Pelicans with 21 points, while Alvarado came off the bench to score 18 and hit the game-winner. Saddiq Bey added 17 points as New Orleans snapped its six-game skid. The win left Brooklyn as the only team in the league still searching for its first victory. The Pelicans were without star forward Zion Williamson, who is sidelined with a strained hamstring. Miles Bridges paced Charlotte with 22 points, and rookie Kon Knueppel posted a double-double of 20 points and 12 rebounds. The Hornets were again without LaMelo Ball, missing his second straight game due to an ankle injury. Charlotte took control early in the second half with an 11-0 run and maintained its lead until Alvarado’s decisive shot in the final seconds. Rookie Derik Queen sealed the win with a late steal, and Murphy hit two free throws to extend the margin before Bey closed the scoring from the line.
Hornets Catch Fire Early, Cruise Past Jazz The Hornets stumbled out of the gate as Utah jumped ahead early, but it didn’t take long for Charlotte to find its rhythm. Three consecutive possessions ended in three-pointers — courtesy of Collin Sexton, Kon Knueppel, and Sion James — sparking a run that shifted momentum completely. After both teams traded baskets for a stretch, the Jazz hit a cold spell, and the Hornets capitalized to build a sizable lead. Knueppel knocked down a pair of triples in the second quarter to extend the margin, which Charlotte carried comfortably into halftime. The third quarter wasn’t as crisp, as the Hornets eased off the throttle with a large cushion. A few careless fouls and stagnant possessions gave Utah some life, trimming the deficit to 16 late in the period. But KJ Simpson’s steal in the final seconds set up a missed layup that Moussa Diabate cleaned up for a tip-in, giving Charlotte a boost heading into the fourth quarter.
Hornets Let Late Lead Slip in Loss to Pelicans The first half was a roller coaster for Charlotte. The Hornets came out strong behind Kon Knueppel’s early scoring and hot perimeter shooting, quickly building a comfortable lead that hinted at another routine win over a struggling opponent. But once the rotations shifted, everything changed. The Pelicans found their rhythm from beyond the arc while the Hornets’ offense sputtered. Turnovers piled up, transition defense broke down, and an 18-point swing erased Charlotte’s advantage by the middle of the second quarter. The Hornets regrouped slightly before halftime but still trailed heading into the break. Charlotte carried some of that late-half energy into the third, retaking the lead and holding it for much of the second half. But the final minutes told a different story. The offense completely stalled, producing as many turnovers as made shots in the fourth quarter. The Hornets went scoreless after the 3:41 mark, leaving the door wide open. Jose Alvarado buried a step-back three to put New Orleans on top, and Trey Murphy III iced the game at the line. A hurried three-point attempt from Miles Bridges came up short, sealing another frustrating late-game collapse for Charlotte.