Miller Notches Another 20-PT Game, Oklahoma City Shoots 59% Over Wire-to-Wire Win
It was Groundhog Day on the calendar and unfortunately for the Charlotte Hornets, it was also Groundhog Day again on the court in Friday night’s 126-106 road loss to Oklahoma City.
Brandon Miller nearly matched his career high for the second time this week, totaling 28 points on 11-of-19 shooting – 5-of-8 from 3-point range – four rebounds, four assists, three steals and two blocks in the loss. This was Miller’s third consecutive 20-point showing, seventh in his past nine outings and the 13th overall of rookie season.
Oklahoma City raced out to a double-digit lead less than six minutes in and won the opening frame 39-19, good for Charlotte’s second-largest deficit after the first quarter this season. By halftime, the Thunder had converted 18-of-20 paint attempts (90.0%) and 9-of-18 from 3-point range (50.0%), fueling its 31-point advantage. The Hornets had some better patches of play over the final two quarters, but never came close to mounting any sort of serious comeback attempt.
“Oklahoma City is balanced,” said Hornets Head Coach Steve Clifford, following the team’s sixth loss in a row. “They’re top-five in both offense and defense. They have a way to play. Our guys have to get refreshed, and we’ve got to get off to a better start on Sunday.”
Bryce McGowens scored a season-high 15 points on 6-of-10 shooting, Nick Smith Jr. added 12 points and Leaky Black set a new career best with 11 points (3-of-3 from 3-point range). Charlotte drained 14-of-31 from 3-point range (45.2%; highest percentage since Jan. 19) but missed 14 shots at the rim (11-of-25) and 27 overall inside the paint (25-of-52).
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was masterful for Oklahoma City, registering his ninth straight 30-point game (31 on 11-of-15 shooting) and league-leading 37th of the season, along with nine assists, five steals and three blocks in only 30 minutes. Chet Holmgren added 16 points and two blocks, while fellow rookie Cason Wallace chipped in 12 points starting in place of Jalen Williams.
Oklahoma City’s 58.7% field-goal percentage was the fourth-highest mark by a Hornets’ opponent this season, and highest since Phoenix shot 62.2% on Dec. 29. Within OKC’s efficient shooting was a 16-of-20 clip at the rim (80.0%) and a 17-of-36 mark from behind the 3-point line (47.2%). With the win, the Thunder snapped a five-game losing streak to Charlotte.
The Hornets will now begin another three-game homestand against the Indiana Pacers on Sunday, Feb. 4 starting at 6 PM ET at Spectrum Center. Follow all the action on Bally Sports Southeast and WFNZ 92.7 FM.
2024-02-02
Hornets’ Defense Picked Apart By Thunder In Sixth Straight Loss
Sam Perley, NBA.com/Hornets
Miller Notches Another 20-PT Game, Oklahoma City Shoots 59% Over Wire-to-Wire Win
It was Groundhog Day on the calendar and unfortunately for the Charlotte Hornets, it was also Groundhog Day again on the court in Friday night’s 126-106 road loss to Oklahoma City.
Brandon Miller nearly matched his career high for the second time this week, totaling 28 points on 11-of-19 shooting – 5-of-8 from 3-point range – four rebounds, four assists, three steals and two blocks in the loss. This was Miller’s third consecutive 20-point showing, seventh in his past nine outings and the 13th overall of rookie season.
Oklahoma City raced out to a double-digit lead less than six minutes in and won the opening frame 39-19, good for Charlotte’s second-largest deficit after the first quarter this season. By halftime, the Thunder had converted 18-of-20 paint attempts (90.0%) and 9-of-18 from 3-point range (50.0%), fueling its 31-point advantage. The Hornets had some better patches of play over the final two quarters, but never came close to mounting any sort of serious comeback attempt.
“Oklahoma City is balanced,” said Hornets Head Coach Steve Clifford, following the team’s sixth loss in a row. “They’re top-five in both offense and defense. They have a way to play. Our guys have to get refreshed, and we’ve got to get off to a better start on Sunday.”
Bryce McGowens scored a season-high 15 points on 6-of-10 shooting, Nick Smith Jr. added 12 points and Leaky Black set a new career best with 11 points (3-of-3 from 3-point range). Charlotte drained 14-of-31 from 3-point range (45.2%; highest percentage since Jan. 19) but missed 14 shots at the rim (11-of-25) and 27 overall inside the paint (25-of-52).
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was masterful for Oklahoma City, registering his ninth straight 30-point game (31 on 11-of-15 shooting) and league-leading 37th of the season, along with nine assists, five steals and three blocks in only 30 minutes. Chet Holmgren added 16 points and two blocks, while fellow rookie Cason Wallace chipped in 12 points starting in place of Jalen Williams.
Oklahoma City’s 58.7% field-goal percentage was the fourth-highest mark by a Hornets’ opponent this season, and highest since Phoenix shot 62.2% on Dec. 29. Within OKC’s efficient shooting was a 16-of-20 clip at the rim (80.0%) and a 17-of-36 mark from behind the 3-point line (47.2%). With the win, the Thunder snapped a five-game losing streak to Charlotte.
The Hornets will now begin another three-game homestand against the Indiana Pacers on Sunday, Feb. 4 starting at 6 PM ET at Spectrum Center. Follow all the action on Bally Sports Southeast and WFNZ 92.7 FM.