2024-01-02

Rozier Returns, Hornets Stun Kings With Late Surge To Halt Slide

Sam Perley, NBA.com/Hornets

Charlotte Takes Advantage of Sacramento’s 21 Turnovers and Game-Ending 17-4 Run

The Charlotte Hornets have had some miraculous finishes in Sacramento in recent years. Given how many key players were missing on Tuesday night, they might have to add their latest 111-104 road win over the Kings to the list, which finally ended an 11-game losing streak.

Terry Rozier returned from a one-game illness-related absence to lead the victors in scoring with a game-high 34 points – 14 coming in the fourth quarter – on 13-of-24 shooting, three rebounds, six assists and two blocks in over 36 minutes. Per Basketball Reference, Rozier’s 76 total points over his past two appearances are the most by a Charlotte player over a consecutive two-game span in the same season since Kemba Walker had 79 from April 1-3, 2019.

Both teams swapped sizeable first-quarter runs, though it was Sacramento that eventually entered halftime holding a 50-45 lead. Outside of a couple brief instances here and there, the Kings stayed out in front for nearly the entire second half and found themselves holding a 100-94 advantage with 3:54 remaining in the contest.

Rozier then ripped off Charlotte’s next nine points to cut the deficit down to just one. Following a missed 3-point attempt by Malik Monk, De’Aaron Fox lost track of PJ Washington on a backdoor-cutting dunk, putting the Hornets ahead, 105-104, at the 51-second mark. Moments later, Fox dribbled the ball off his foot, leading to a transition layup for Cody Martin. Sacramento got the ball over halfcourt on its next possession, but an errant Fox pull-up was gobbled up by Miles Bridges, who drained four free throws down the stretch to seal the victory.

“When you lose, sometimes people don’t understand how frustrating it is for the players,” said Hornets Head Coach Steve Clifford afterwards, when asked about the team snapping its long losing streak. “The guys put a lot into it, they’re professional players, they’re professional for a reason. To lose that many games in a row is difficult. Our guys hung in there, just kept playing hard. In the fourth quarter… obviously Terry was just incredible.”

Added Rozier in his postgame Bally Sports Southeast walk-off interview, “Most importantly, I’m just happy we came in after last night’s loss [in Denver]… and got the win. These past couple games, obviously we fell short, but we did a lot of great things and that’s what Coach kept talking about. Just picking up where we left off. We know it’s going to turn for us. Maybe this game is going to be the one that turns it around for us. Hopefully we can keep it going.”

Miles Bridges (27 points on 9-of-18 shooting) notched his fifth 20-point game in six appearances. PJ Washington added 17 points and went 3-of-6 from deep to pass both LaMelo Ball and Glen Rice for fifth place on the franchise’s all-time 3-point field goal leaderboard (510). In addition to Ball, Mark Williams, and Gordon Hayward all still being out, rookie sensation Brandon Miller was scratched shortly before tipoff with a left hip contusion.

Early foul trouble for Nick Richards and Nathan Mensah played a small part in the Hornets losing the glass, 48-35. Even though the Kings rode 15 offensive rebounds to a 20-point advantage in second-chance scoring (22-2), they gave a lot of that right back with 21 turnovers leading to 17 Charlotte points.

Despite the late miscues, Fox still finished with 30 points, 18 coming in the second half. Domantas Sabonis – who came into the game tied for second in the NBA with six triple-doubles – added a dubious 23-point, 19-rebound, career-high 11-turnover statline to his collection. According to Basketball Reference, he is the third opposing player in Hornets’ franchise history to record a double-double plus double-digit turnovers in a single game, joining James Harden (March 2020) and Yao Ming (December 2004).

The Hornets will now close out their season-long six-game road trip against the Chicago Bulls on Friday, Jan. 5 beginning at 8 PM ET. Follow all the action on Bally Sports Southeast and WFNZ 92.7 FM.

2024-01-01

Nuggets Ride Another Huge 3rd Quarter To Down Hornets Again

Sam Perley, NBA.com/Hornets

Without Four Opening Night Starters, Charlotte Struggles to Keep Up in 11th Straight Loss

For the second time in nine days, the Charlotte Hornets played a very solid first half against the reigning NBA Champion Denver Nuggets. But once again, things got completely derailed for them with a mess of a third quarter in a 111-93 loss on Monday night in the Mile High City.

Miles Bridges crossed the 20-point plateau for the fourth time in five games, finishing with a team-high 26 on 10-of-14 shooting, nine rebounds and five assists (career-high-tying fifth straight five-assist game) in the loss. Nick Richards and Brandon Miller both had 15 points for a Hornets squad that used its 13th different starting lineup of the season with Terry Rozier unavailable (illness).

A 49-49 contest at halftime rapidly turned the Nuggets’ way in the third quarter, a frame they won by a lopsided 40-17 margin. Denver shot 63.2% (5-of-8 from 3-point range) and sank all 11 of its free throw attempts over the second half’s opening 12 minutes, while forcing five turnovers and not conceding a single charity-stripe visit. The Hornets never threatened from that point on, sealing their first losing streak of at least 11 consecutive games since Nov. 26 – Dec. 29, 2012 (lost 18 straight).

“The one thing that stood out to me [about the third quarter] was the turnovers,” said Hornets Head Coach Steve Clifford after the game. “I think we only had six turnovers at half, and we had four pretty quickly in the third that they made us pay on. With where we’re at right now and the guys we have available, we can’t be turning the ball over.”

Charlotte has now been outscored by 20-or-more points in a single quarter four times this season and both third quarters against Denver have accounted for two of them (lost the third quarter, 30-9, in the Dec. 23 meeting). This was the Nuggets’ 10th win in 12 outings and fifth straight in the head-to-head series with the Hornets.

Ish Smith made his second start of the year in place of the sickened Rozier, finishing with a season-high 10 points, three rebounds and four assists. Prior to tipoff, the former-Nugget Smith was honored in a pre-game ceremony and presented his 2022 NBA Championship ring. Charlotte finished with 14 turnovers for 20 Denver points and lost the fast-break, 14-4.

The Nuggets got 20-point performances from both Jamal Murray (25; 11 in the first quarter), and Michael Porter Jr. (22) in the victory. Two-time NBA MVP and last year’s Finals MVP Nikola Jokić oddly attempted just one shot in the first half, before finishing with 13 points on 6-of-7 shooting, a game-high 11 rebounds and six assists. Reggie Jackson contributed 15 points off the Denver bench, which outscored its Charlotte counterpart, 36-17.

The Hornets will close out their second consecutive all-road back-to-back against the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday, Jan. 2 beginning at 10 PM ET. Catch all the action on Bally Sports Southeast and WFNZ 92.7 FM.

2024-01-31

Bridges Records Rare Statline, Bulls’ Offense Too Good In 4th Quarter

Sam Perley, NBA.com/Hornets

Charlotte’s On-Ball Defense Can’t Get Stops Late, Homestand Ends With 0-4 Record

Though the Charlotte Hornets looked far more competitive on Wednesday night than they did in the first three games of their homestand, the outcome remained the same in a 117-110 loss to the Chicago Bulls at Spectrum Center.

Miles Bridges totaled 30 points on 11-of-20 shooting, 15 rebounds, five assists and a career-high-tying six 3-pointers in the loss, becoming the 11th different player in NBA history to reach 30-15-5 with at least five 3-pointers in a single game, per Basketball Reference. This was also the first 30-point, 15-rebound, five-assist game in franchise history and the first 30-15 game by a Hornets’ player since March 21, 2018 (Dwight Howard’s 30-30 game in Brooklyn).

Charlotte got moving with a 19-3 second quarter run and the Bulls soon countered with a 15-0 stretch spanning halftime to take a 64-59 lead early in the third. Unlike in two of their past three games, the Hornets didn’t let this recently troublesome frame get away from them, making it to the fourth tied at 86. Led by Coby White, Chicago kept driving and pressuring Charlotte’s defense, tallying 31 points, nine free-throw attempts and six takeaways in the final 12 minutes.

“We couldn’t guard the ball,” said Hornets Head Coach Steve Clifford afterwards, when asked about the fourth quarter. “They were just in the paint every pick-and-roll. The first three quarters we were pretty good and then they were just so much more direct in the fourth quarter, particularly White and [DeMar] DeRozan. We changed it, got more aggressive, but again, just controlling the ball was the biggest issue. Those guys are terrific offensive players. They played well, and sometimes that happens.”

Added Bridges, “If we got like three stops on Coby, we win the game. I feel like we’re right there. We’re playing the right way. Everybody on this team wants to win. We’re learning, we’re getting through it. We’ve been dealing with injuries all year and we’ve got to find a way to get a win.”

PJ Washington (26 points on 10-of-17 shooting) had his fourth 25-point game of the season and second in three appearances. Fresh off being named an NBA Rising Star, Brandon Miller notched his sixth 20-point game in eight outings, while Nick Richards navigated some foul trouble to add another 10 points. The Hornets sank 16-of-46 from 3-point range (34.8%), which was more attempts than they took from inside the arc (24-of-44; 54.5%).

White ended with a season-high 35 points – 10 in the fourth quarter – on 12-of-22 shooting, seven rebounds and nine assists. The North Carolina native finished only one point shy of tying his single-game career high set back in January of 2021. Nikola Vučević recorded 22 points and 12 rebounds for this 25th double-double of the campaign, with Ayo Dosunmu (16) and DeRozan (15) each scoring 15, as well. This victory marked Chicago’s sixth straight over Charlotte and bumped its head-to-head record to 12-2 since the start of the 2020-21 NBA season.

The Hornets will make a quick one-game road trip to face the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday, Feb. 2 beginning at 8 PM ET. Follow all the action on Bally Sports Southeast and WFNZ 92.7 FM.

2024-01-05

Hornets Fade In The 4th Quarter For Road-Trip Finale Loss

Sam Perley, NBA.com/Hornets

Bridges Scores 25+ PTS for 3rd Straight Game, Charlotte’s Offense Has Tough Night in Chicago

The Charlotte Hornets held firm for the first three quarters in the Windy City on Friday night, before the hometown Bulls progressively pulled away and sent them to a 104-91 road loss.

Miles Bridges (28 points on 12-of-18 shooting) notched a third straight 25-point performance for the Hornets in the defeat, which is now one away from matching the longest streak of his career (Oct. 22-27, 2021). Coming off two big outings, Terry Rozier fell back to Earth a little bit, finishing with 15 points (all in the second half), four rebounds, and a game-high seven assists.

Chicago created some separation right before halftime, using a 7-0 run to take a 47-41 lead at the break. Rozier, who went scoreless in the opening two quarters for the first time since Nov. 14, 2021, finally got going with 11 points in the third to help Charlotte stay within five heading into the fourth. However, a deeper Bulls squad that was backed by the returns of Zach LaVine and Nikola Vučević opened the closing frame on a 22-6 stretch, which basically sealed the deal.

“[Chicago’s] defense is really good. We struggled to score against them last time (a 111-100 road loss on Dec. 6),” said Hornets Head Coach Steve Clifford afterwards. “They were aggressive with Terry. They brought the second defender with a lot of his pick-and-rolls, and we didn’t move the ball the way we needed to.”

Cody Martin (season-high-tying 13 points) and Nick Smith Jr. (10) were the only other Charlotte players to score in double figures. The 91 points matched the Hornets’ second-lowest single-game output of the season. They did well with the possession game – 12 offensive rebounds and only 13 turnovers – and took 15 more shots than Chicago but converted at a much lower efficiency (40.4%) than the Bulls (54.1%).

In what continues to be a cruel revolving door of injuries this season, the Hornets got Brandon Miller (left hip contusion) back from a one-game absence, then lost PJ Washington (right ankle) for the game late in the first quarter. On the year, Charlotte has now utilized 15 different starting lineups over the course of only 33 outings.

Coby White tallied 22 points on 7-of-12 shooting, a career-high-tying 10 rebounds and six assists for his second double-double of the season in the win. DeMar DeRozan added 17 points, while LaVine (15 points) and Vučević (11 points) both crossed into double figures in rare appearances off the bench. With the victory, the Bulls have now won 10 of 12 regular season meetings with Charlotte since the start of the 2020-21 campaign (6-1 at the United Center).

The Hornets will return home to face the Bulls once again on Monday, Jan. 8 beginning at 7 PM ET at Spectrum Center. Catch all the action on Bally Sports Southeast and WFNZ 92.7 FM.

2024-01-08

Hornets Push Bulls To Extra Frame, Then Falter In Overtime Loss

Sam Perley, NBA.com/Hornets

Rozier Has Spectacular 39-PT Showing, Couple Bad Possessions Cost Charlotte in Crunch Time

Another made shot here, maybe a different sequence of plays there and the Charlotte Hornets would have had themselves a thrilling win in their first appearance at Spectrum Center in over two weeks. Instead, the homecoming was spoiled by the Chicago Bulls in a 119-112 overtime loss on Monday night.

Terry Rozier led the charge with a game-high 39 points on 10-of-18 shooting, seven 3-pointers, a career-best 12-of-12 clip from the free-throw line, three rebounds and eight assists in the loss. This performance bumped Rozier’s seasonal 30-point game total to six, exactly half of which have now come in his past four appearances.

Charlotte quickly fell into a game-opening 14-2 hole, before closing the first quarter on a 23-10 run for a one-point lead. The Hornets’ offense seesawed over the next two frames and heading into the fourth, Chicago was holding a seven-point advantage. Still down by seven with 3:39 to go, Rozier’s sixth and seventh 3-pointers highlighted a game-tying 8-1 Charlotte run.

Rozier then had a chance to take the lead with an eighth long-distance make in the closing seconds, though the attempt fell well short. On the replay, it appeared Zach LaVine might have fouled him on the landing, but unfortunately for the Hornets, no call was made. Chicago soon opened overtime with an 8-0 run and Charlotte got no closer than three over the final 2:25.

“In the fourth, obviously we were terrific at both ends – plus seven, held them to 24 points,” said Hornets Head Coach Steve Clifford afterwards. “The start of the overtime hurt us. We had a good possession, missed a makeable shot, bad possession, they’re up four, we come down and try to make a great pass, which is a huge play, so it’s six right away. The longer the game went on, they did what they did in Chicago (on Friday). They committed the second defender to Terry in every situation and with the guys we have right now, it’s not easy.”

Added Rozier, “I think we made a lot more shots this game. We executed a little more with our plays, but we still could be better. In this league, especially with a lot of guys missing, we don’t have a lot of room for error, so we paid for it at the end.”

Miles Bridges (24), Nick Smith Jr. (15) and Nick Richards (10) also all had at least 10 points, with Bridges and Richards each snagging eight rebounds. JT Thor added a season-high nine points and a career-high eight rebounds, six of which were offensive (also a new personal best). Charlotte drained 17-of-42 3-point attempts (40.5%) and 23-of-52 from inside the arc (44.2%). Both PJ Washington (right foot sprain) and Cody Martin (right groin) were unavailable.

Chicago got 20-point outputs from Coby White (27), Andre Drummond (21), and Nikola Vučević (21) in the win, the team’s 11th in 13 meetings with Charlotte since the beginning of the 2020-21 campaign. Drummond and Vučević wrangled 15 and 10 rebounds, respectively, to seal double-doubles, while DeMar DeRozan added another 18 points for the victorious Bulls.

The Hornets will close out their short two-game homestand against the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday, Jan. 10 beginning at 7 PM ET at Spectrum Center. Follow all the action on Bally Sports Southeast and WFNZ 92.7 FM.

2024-01-10

Missing Intensity And Readiness Result In Hornets’ 6th Straight Home Loss

Sam Perley, NBA.com/Hornets

Sacramento Cruises Following 1st-Half Run, Charlotte Gets Crushed in the Paint and on Glass

Even with injuries stacking up, the Charlotte Hornets have consistently fought and battled in recent weeks, despite the small margin for error. For whatever reason, their intensity and readiness were sorely lacking in Wednesday night’s 123-98 home loss to the Sacramento Kings.

Miles Bridges had a team-high 24 points on 10-of-21 shooting, seven rebounds and a season-high-tying six assists in the loss, marking his fifth straight outing with at least 24 points. Terry Rozier added 22 points, moving him into fourth place on the franchise’s all-time 20-point game leaderboard (158) and two away from tying Glen Rice for third (160), per Basketball Reference.

Things didn’t start off too bad for the hosts, despite the 25-point defeat. Charlotte was ahead by three near the end of the first quarter, before Sacramento came alive with a 22-4 run and an eventual 71-59 halftime lead. The Kings, who drained 11-of-20 first-half 3-point attempts, toned down the scoring a little in the third, but still bumped their cushion to 15 with one frame remaining. An 11-0 stretch to open the fourth would be the cherry on top for Sacramento.

“It takes a good deal of intensity and concentration to play well, no matter how talented you are,” said Hornets Head Coach Steve Clifford afterwards. “Nobody can play well if you don’t have the right intensity. Tonight, we did not have that. We had a couple guys that did… but for the most part, hopefully this is a lesson learned for our younger guys. They (the Kings) were on a back-to-back, and right from the get-go, they had more energy and juice than we did. The number one reason you win in any team sport is talent, and then the second is readiness.”

This showing was a far cry from the Hornets’ 111-104 win in Sacramento eight days ago, when they were the ones on a back-to-back. Charlotte scrounged up a season-low 28 paint points on 14-of-37 shooting (37.8%) in the rematch and wrangled 17 fewer rebounds (53-36).

“We just came out and weren’t ready as far as energy,” added Brandon Miller, who finished with 15 points and four 3-pointers. “I think we need to have a short-term memory and go into the next game with a different mentality.” Said Bridges, “They were getting whatever they wanted [on offense]. We’ve just got to play better and come out better with our intensity. I feel like our identity changes every game, so we’ve got to just stick to our identity and have that be us.”

The Kings got three 20-point games from Keegan Murray (25), Domantas Sabonis (24), former-Hornet Malik Monk (20) and almost a fourth from De’Aaron Fox (19). Sabonis and fellow center Alex Len both tallied 10 rebounds, as well. Sacramento ended up shooting 51.7% and connected on 13-of-35 from 3-point range (37.1%). This was also the team’s second consecutive win on the second night of a back-to-back after starting the season with an 0-4 record in such situations.

The Hornets will now embark on another three-game road trip starting with the San Antonio Spurs on Friday, Jan. 12 beginning at 8 PM ET. Catch all the action on Bally Sports Southeast and WFNZ 92.7 FM.

2024-01-12

Spurs Spoil LaMelo Ball’s Return, Sending Hornets To Blowout Road Loss

Sam Perley, NBA.com/Hornets

Charlotte Has Another Disastrous Night in the Paint, Miller Leaves Following Scary Fall

Even though the Charlotte Hornets finally welcomed back LaMelo Ball from a 20-game absence, his star presence was nowhere near enough to prevent a lopsided 135-99 loss in San Antonio on Friday night.

All things considered, Ball looked good in his first outing since Nov. 26, finishing with a game-high 28 points on 5-of-14 shooting, five assists, a career-high-tying five steals and six turnovers in 27 minutes. The 22-year-old set new career highs for both free-throw makes (15) and attempts (16), becoming the second player in team history with at least five steals and 15 made free throws in a game (Eddie Jones on April 27, 1999), per Basketball Reference.

Following an ugly opening frame by both sides, San Antonio capped a 26-11 second quarter run with three Doug McDermott 3-pointers to help take a commanding 66-45 halftime lead. That would just about do it for the Hornets, who committed 13 turnovers – nearly doubling their first half total – and got outscored by 15 points across the ensuing two quarters of action.

“We didn’t get off to a great start, especially offensively, and our offense hurt our defense tonight,” said Hornets Head Coach Steve Clifford following the loss. “I just think we have to get more organized. As guys come back, it’s not going to be seamless, especially with us where we have so many guys out. We’re not organized at all out there and that hurt us tonight.”

The Hornets shot a season-low 36.0% (30-of-87) and drained only 10 3-pointers on a 29.4% clip. Much like Wednesday night’s showing against Sacramento, Charlotte’s paint offense left a whole lot to be desired, resulting in only 38 points on a paltry 42.2% efficiency. Disorganization, poor decision-making at the rim and turnovers (20) were ongoing issues for a majority of the contest.

In what has now become just a downright eerie trend this season, another Hornet player went down – this time Brandon Miller – in the same game as another one returned from injury. Keldon Johnson attempted to block Miller’s transition dunk late in the first quarter, causing the rookie to slam awkwardly onto the floor. Miller was soon ruled out with a lower back contusion, while Johnson was assessed a Flagrant 1 foul on the play.

San Antonio notched consecutive wins for the second time this season, thanks in large part to the extraordinary play of reigning first overall pick Victor Wembanyama. The rookie Frenchman led the Spurs with 26 points on 9-of-14 shooting, a game-high 11 rebounds and two blocks, though his 7’4” stature influenced several Charlotte attempts. McDermott (14), Jeremy Sochan (13), Devin Vassell (12), Cedi Osman (11) and Johnson (10) also scored in double figures to help the hosts snap a five-game losing streak to Charlotte.

The Hornets will remain on the road to face the Miami Heat for the fourth and final time this season on Sunday, Jan. 14 beginning at 6 PM ET. Follow all the action on Bally Sports Southeast and WFNZ 92.7 FM.

2024-01-14

Hornets’ Offense Comes Out Ice Cold Again In Loss To Heat

Sam Perley, NBA.com/Hornets

Charlotte Scores Season-Low 31 1st-Half PTS, Shoots Season-Worst FG% for 2nd Straight Game

Stacking up points continues to be a major problem for the Charlotte Hornets, the latest occurrence being a 104-87 road loss to the Miami Heat on Sunday night in their season-series finale.

Terry Rozier (26), LaMelo Ball (21) and Miles Bridges (20) all had at least 20 points in the loss, marking the first time since Dec. 8 and seventh time overall this season that the Hornets have had three 20-point scorers in the same game. Outside of this trio though, the rest of the roster didn’t contribute much from a scoring standpoint, combining for only 20 points on 8-of-31 shooting (25.8%).

Charlotte had another frigid offensive start and almost got outscored by rookie Jaime Jaquez Jr. (15) in a 26-16 Miami first quarter. The chilly conditions only got worse from there and a 21-5 Miami run in the second frame put the Hornets in a 52-31 halftime hole. Shots soon began finally falling, as Charlotte nearly duplicated its first-half point total with 30 in the third. Still though, Miami quickly extinguished any faint comeback hopes in the fourth, sending Charlotte to a 16th defeat in 17 games.

“Tonight, we just didn’t shoot the ball well,” said Hornets Head Coach Steve Clifford following the loss, the team’s fifth straight. “I thought early on, we got a lot of good shots that we’ve been making that didn’t go in. That’s going to happen. I think the bigger part of tonight is that when the ball’s not going in, we’ve got to keep defending. Right now, we’re just so reliant on those three guys (Rozier, Ball, Bridges) to score. We’ve got to have more guys out there that can put pressure on the defense to score consistently.”

Coming off converting a then season-low 36.0% from the field two nights ago in San Antonio, the Hornets relowered the bar with a 34.7% clip in this loss, which included going 10-of-40 on 3-point attempts (25.0%). The 87 points scored were also their second-lowest seasonal total. Two big positives were winning the glass, 50-44 (17-4 in offensive rebounds) and crushing Miami in second-chance points, 23-2.

PJ Washington and Cody Martin both returned from short injury-related absences, while Brandon Miller (lower back contusion) sat out after his scary fall in San Antonio. “I don’t think it’s serious, serious,” said Clifford, when asked about Miller’s status. “It’s more like day-to-day. Hopefully, he’ll be able to practice on Tuesday and we’ll have a better idea then.”

Playing without Jimmy Butler (foot) for the 11th time in 12 games and Kevin Love, Miami pushed its record to 2-10 against Charlotte since the start of the 2021-22 season. Bam Adebayo (24) and Tyler Herro (21) both had 20-point showings, with Duncan Robinson (19), Jaquez (15; left at halftime with a groin injury) and Josh Richardson (11) also reaching double figures.

The Hornets will close out their three-game road trip against the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday, Jan. 17 beginning at 8 PM ET. Follow all the action on Bally Sports Southeast and WFNZ 92.7 FM.

2024-01-17

Hornets Get Buried By Pelicans’ Historic 3-Point Performance

Sam Perley, NBA.com/Hornets

Shooting Finally Comes Around for Charlotte; Defense and Bench Play Lag Way Behind

Victories continue to be scarce for the Charlotte Hornets and they closed out a winless three-game road trip by falling to the New Orleans Pelicans, 132-112, on Wednesday night.

LaMelo Ball had his best showing since returning from a 20-game absence late last week, finishing with a game-high 29 points on 8-of-19 shooting, five rebounds and a team-high seven assists. Terry Rozier was right behind him with 25 points and seven 3-pointers, moving him into a tie with Glen Rice for third place on the franchise’s all-time 20-point game leaderboard (160).

Though shots thankfully began falling for the Hornets following a few fruitless outings, the Pelicans were even hotter in the first half and rolled into the break leading, 66-61. New Orleans’ tallied 43 first-quarter points on 69.6% shooting (9-of-12 from 3-point range) in the process, the second-highest quarterly total by any Charlotte opponent this season. The Pelicans kept draining shot after shot in the second half, amassing a franchise-record 25 3-pointers on a 53.2% efficiency. Charlotte simply faded further and further back to a 17th loss in 18 games.

“In the third quarter, I think [the difference] was New Orleans’ offensive rebounding and 3-point shooting, which was a problem the whole game,” said Hornets Head Coach Steve Clifford following the loss, referencing the six offensive boards the Pelicans had in the third frame.

Miles Bridges (19) and Nick Richards (10) were the only other Charlotte players to score in double figures, with the latter adding 12 rebounds for his seventh double-double of the year. As a team, the Hornets sank 19-of-45 3-point attempts (42.2%), after shooting under 30% from deep each of the past two games. Depth remained a major issue though; the Hornets bench totaled only 21 bench points, while the Pelicans’ reserves had 56 points and 12 3-pointers.

Richards sprained his right ankle late in the second quarter but was able to return in the second half. Mark Williams, Gordon Hayward, and Brandon Miller remained out, while Frank Ntilikina made his Hornets regular season debut, nearly three months after suffering a non-displaced left tibia fracture in the team’s preseason finale back in October.

Brandon Ingram clocked team-high totals for New Orleans in points (28), rebounds (10), assists (10) and 3-pointers (career-high-tying seven) to seal his third NBA triple-double, two of which have now come against the Hornets. CJ McCollum (22) and rookie reserve Jordan Hawkins (21) both had reached 20+ points, as well, helping New Orleans claim its fourth straight head-to-head win over Charlotte. The Pelicans’ 25 3-point field goals also matched the highest single-game total by any NBA team this season, per Basketball Reference.

The Hornets will begin on all-home back-to-back by facing the San Antonio Spurs for the second time in eight days on Friday, Jan. 19 beginning at 7 PM ET. Catch all the action on Bally Sports Southeast and WFNZ 92.7 FM.

2024-01-20

Despite Defeat, Hornets’ Defense Holds Strong Against Philly

Sam Perley, NBA.com/Hornets

Bridges, Miller Score 20+ PTS Again; Charlotte Allows Season-Low 97 PTS to NBA’s #5 Offense

While it was nowhere close to being the historic blowout that they endured the last time Philadelphia was in town, the result unfortunately remained the same for the Charlotte Hornets in a 97-89 loss on Saturday night.

Miles Bridges finished with team highs in points (25) and rebounds (11) for his sixth seasonal double-double in the loss and had five 3-pointers to move into eighth place on the franchise’s all-time leaderboard (now at 500). Brandon Miller added another 23 points on 8-of-17 shooting, marking the first time in his NBA career he’s had consecutive 20-point games.

Without their top two centers in Mark Williams and Nick Richards for the second straight outing, the Hornets leaned on PJ Washington and Nathan Mensah at the five. They lurked behind Philadelphia for most of the first two-and-a-half quarters, then closed the third on a 15-3 run to go up four. But the pendulum quickly shifted back the 76ers’ way with a 13-2 stretch to open the final frame, making it a seven-point game with 8:26 remaining. Bridges drained a 3-pointer a minute later, but that was as close as the hosts would get from that point on.

“Our guys, I thought they played great,” said Hornets Head Coach Steve Clifford afterwards. “To be that shorthanded playing against that team. We end up with a lineup out there [early in the fourth quarter] that we’re just trying to get three, four minutes out of, and we went from two or three up to like 10 down. Everybody that played, played well, played hard. It’d be hard to find fault with an effort like that.”

Terry Rozier (19 points) was the only other Charlotte player to score in double figures. Even with the depleted frontcourt and Washington and Mensah both fouling out late in the fourth quarter, the Hornets still won the glass, 47-46, although had 17 turnovers for 22 Philadelphia points.

The NBA’s current leading scorer, Joel Embiid, got off to a fast start with 15 first-quarter points before eventually settling for a game-high 33 on 11-of-23 shooting (11-of-12 from the free-throw line). Like their counterparts, the 76ers only had three players record double-digit scoring performances – Tobias Harris had 21 (10 in the fourth quarter) and Tyrese Maxey notched 16. With the win, Philadelphia has now taken 21 of the past 23 meetings with Charlotte.

Added Bridges, “We played competitive. The main thing was just trying to limit Embiid. The last time he came in here [on Dec. 16], he had 42 [points] through three quarters. I felt like we did a better job on him, just showing him different faces, throwing bodies at him. Tobias came out and set the tone at the start of the fourth quarter and they just built off that.”

The Hornets will now embark on a short two-game road trip starting with the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday, Jan. 22 beginning at 8 PM ET. Follow all the action on Bally Sports Southeast or WFNZ 92.7 FM.

2024-01-22

Hornets Survive Towns’ Big Night, Seize 18-Point Comeback Win

Sam Perley, NBA.com/Hornets

Bridges, Miller Score 20+ PTS for 3rd Straight Game, Offense Dismantles NBA’s Top Defense

Not even a Minnesota franchise-record 62 points from Karl-Anthony Towns could prevent the Charlotte Hornets from stealing a 128-125 road win on Monday night, a triumph that featured an 18-point comeback and some late heroics from rookie Leaky Black.

Miles Bridges led the victors with a team-high 28 points, good for his 12th 20-point game in the past 15 appearances. Right behind him again was Brandon Miller, who had 27 points on 11-of-13 shooting (career-best 84.6%) for his third straight 20-point game. Per Stathead, Brad Miller is the only other Charlotte rookie to score at least 25 points on a higher efficiency in a single outing, doing so on March 24, 1999, against Chicago (25 points on 9-of-9 shooting).

While the Hornets’ offense came out cooking, the opening two quarters were all about Towns. No matter what Charlotte tried defensively, it couldn’t prevent a monstrous 44 points and eight 3-pointers from the Minnesota seven-footer. Per Stathead, Towns’ first-half point total was the highest in the play-by-play era (since 1996-97) and fourth-highest overall in any half. Minnesota bumped its lead to 18 late in the third, then closed the frame ahead, 107-92.

The Timberwolves continued to feed Towns as the fourth quarter began, perhaps forcibly at times, which opened the door for a 21-7 run by the Hornets. Charlotte continued to put the pressure on the hosts, finally pulling ahead, 120-119, following a Nick Smith Jr. corner 3-pointer at the 3:55 mark. Later, with Minnesota still down one and under 10 seconds left, a driving Towns was met at the basket by four collapsing Charlotte defenders. Leaky Black managed to rip away and grab the loose ball, then hit his first two NBA free throws to effectively ice the game.

“Down whatever we were on the road, we were plus-18 in the fourth,” said Hornets Head Coach Steve Clifford. “Our defense was really good. Our offense – they’re the best defensive team in the league – and we scored 36. So, it was just a great 12 minutes of basketball. Towns was 8-of-8 from 3-point early. He was great and we were not locked into what we were supposed to be doing. We were better in the second half, particularly with the game on the line.”

LaMelo Ball had 18 points and a season-high-tying 13 assists, giving him seven double-doubles on the year. Terry Rozier (12 points) and PJ Washington (11 points) put all five Charlotte starters in double figures, with Black notching a career-high seven off the bench. Collectively, the Hornets shot 57.5%, the highest mark by a visiting team against Minnesota this season. This victory snapped a four-game road losing streak – all by double digits – for the purple and teal, who avoided getting swept in the season series by Minnesota for the first time since 2011-12.

Towns closed the evening with a career-high and franchise-record 62 points on 21-of-35 shooting, which also included a personal-best 10 3-pointers made. Towns’ 62 points tied Carmelo Anthony for the most ever by an opposing player against the Hornets and were also the second-most by any NBA player in a loss since the start of the 1993-94 season, per Stathead Nickeil Alexander-Walker tallied 18 points starting in place of Mike Conley (rest), while Rudy Gobert added 13 points and 11 rebounds. An under-the-weather Anthony Edwards recorded only nine points on 3-of-11 shooting but did dish out a career-high-tying 11 assists.

The Hornets will wrap up their short two-game road trip against the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday, Jan. 24 beginning at 7 PM ET. Follow all the action on Bally Sports Southeast and WFNZ 92.7 FM.

2024-01-19

Ball Drops In Late Acrobatic Layup, Hornets Notch Much-Needed Win

Sam Perley, NBA.com/Hornets

Charlotte Gets Four 20-PT Scorers, Shoots Season-Best 56% to Snap Six-Game Skid

Having dropped 17 of 18 games heading into Friday night’s home tussle with San Antonio, the Charlotte Hornets need every single win they can get right now. Thanks to a couple last-minute key plays, they halted their six-game losing streak with a 124-120 victory over the Spurs.

LaMelo Ball (28), Brandon Miller (24), Miles Bridges (23) and PJ Washington (20) each had 20-point showings for the victors, marking the second time this season that four Charlotte players have all scored at least 20 points in the same game, per Basketball Reference. Ball and Terry Rozier (17 points) both dished out eight assists, while Miller fell just short of his first NBA double-double with a career-high-tying nine rebounds.

Down both Mark Williams and Nick Richards for this one, the Hornets were forced to go small and start Washington at the five. Charlotte sank its first seven shots of the contest and weathered a late 17-8 San Antonio run to take a 34-32 lead after the first. The Hornets stayed on top by winning the ensuing two frames by a combined 10 points, securing a 97-85 advantage by the start of the fourth. San Antonio wouldn’t go quietly though, riding a 15-2 quarter-opening surge to pull in front for the first time all night.

Momentum swung back and forth over the next eight minutes, transpiring in a 118-117 Charlotte lead with about 50 seconds to go. After Zach Collins was whistled for an illegal screen, Ball burned as much clock as he could, then weaved his way through three San Antonio defenders for a gorgeous reverse layup that bounced twice on the rim before falling through. Devin Vassell missed the equalizer at the other end, Washington wrangled the defensive board and Charlotte sank four free throws in the final five seconds to get the win.

“We did a good job for a while, but it was right at the beginning of the fourth [where things started to turn],” said Hornets Head Coach Steve Clifford following the win. “A couple of those guys that played the whole third, we got them out. The Brandon Miller corner 3-pointer [up two, with 3:12 left] was a huge shot, the ‘Melo drive. Maybe the biggest play of the game was the PJ Washington defensive rebound in traffic, then he made a good outlet pass, too. We made a lot of good plays there at the end of the game, which was important.”

“Just came off the screen, saw I still had a dude on my left and then [Zach] Collins on the right,” described Ball, when asked about the late layup. “I just made a spin move and made a play.”

The Hornets shot a season-best 56% and drilled 16-of-29 3-point attempts, good for their second-best 3-point efficiency of the campaign (55.2%). Down their top two rotational centers, but also facing a Spurs squad missing 7-4 rookie French phenom Victor Wembanyama, Charlotte managed to win the glass, 40-34, and scored 24 points off only 13 takeaways.

Keldon Johnson led the Spurs with a team-high 25 points on 9-of-15 shooting in 29 minutes off the bench, while Vassell had 17 and seven assists. Collins returned from a 10-game absence to finish with 16 points, as did fellow starter Tre Jones.

The Hornets will finish off their all-home back-to-back against the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday, Jan. 20 beginning at 7 PM ET at Spectrum Center. Catch all the action on Bally Sports Southeast and WFNZ 92.7 FM.

2024-01-24

Offense Disappears In 4th Quarter, Hornets Get Dropped By Detroit

Sam Perley, NBA.com/Hornets

Miller, Richards, Bridges All Score 20+ PTS, Charlotte Has Late Defensive Breakdowns

It’s apparently going to take a little longer than one game for the Charlotte Hornets to reconfigure themselves following the recent trade of Terry Rozier, as evidenced by Wednesday night’s 113-106 road loss in Detroit.

Brandon Miller led the visitors with a team-high 23 points – 12 in the third quarter – five 3-pointers, seven rebounds and four assists, becoming the second rookie in franchise history to score at least 23 points in four straight games (Alonzo Mourning), per Basketball Reference. Nick Richards returned to finish with a career-high 21 points, while Miles Bridges added another 20.

Emotions (and newer on-court roles) were no doubt a little all over the place for the Hornets in this one, following Rozier’s somewhat sudden departure to Miami on Tuesday afternoon. Coming off a 52-52 halftime tie, Charlotte took the third quarter, 40-37, after shooting 63.6% with 10 assists in the frame. But for whatever reason, the ball started to stick a whole lot more for the Hornets in the fourth. Their first basket didn’t come until the 7:51 mark and despite leading 102-100 with two minutes left, Charlotte conceded a game-ending 10-0 run to Detroit.

Over the final 12 minutes, the Hornets scrounged up a meager 14 points on 4-of-17 shooting (23.5%) and canned only 1-of-9 attempts from 3-point range. They tallied two assists and committed seven turnovers, almost double their total for the game up to that point (four).

“The big thing we have to do is tonight in the fourth quarter, we stopped moving the ball,” said Hornets Head Coach Steve Clifford following the loss. “For three quarters, our ball movement was good. We do not have an iso-team. We are a pick-and-roll, ball-movement team. When that’s happening, we’re good. If we want to stand out there and pound the ball, it’s going to be hard against anybody.”

Bridges and Richards both snagged a game-high 10 rebounds, as well, good for their seventh and eighth double-doubles of the season, respectively. With Richards back from his three-game absence, Charlotte won the glass, 48-44, which included a 9-5 edge in offensive boards. Both sides also coincidental shot exactly 15-of-38 from 3-point range (39.5%)

Bojan Bogdanović paved the way for Detroit with a game-high 34 points – his second-highest total this season – on 12-of-23 shooting and five 3-pointers, the last one tying the game at 106-106. Alec Burks (15), Jalen Duren (14) and Isaiah Stewart (11) also scored double digits points in the Pistons’ fifth win of the year, two of which now coming against the Hornets. This victory was also just the second for Detroit in its past 10 head-to-head home meetings with Charlotte.

The Hornets will next take on the Houston Rockets to begin a four-game homestand starting on Friday, Jan. 26 at 7 PM ET. Follow all the action on Bally Sports Southeast and WFNZ 92.7 FM.

2024-01-27

Hornets Attempt Mammoth Comeback, Washington Sets Reserve Record

Sam Perley, NBA.com/Hornets

Richards Resets Career High, Utah Breaks Multiple Scoring Marks for Charlotte Opponent

Friday night’s 34-point home loss to Houston was a tale of two halves for the Charlotte Hornets. Twenty-four hours later, their back-to-back finisher against Utah unfolded in somewhat similar fashion and with the same outcome, a 134-122 setback to the Jazz.

PJ Washington exploded for a career-high-tying 43 points on 17-of-22 shooting and a career-high-tying seven 3-pointers in the losing effort, breaking the single-game franchise record for scoring off the bench. Washington’s total was also the most by any NBA reserve in a regulation game since Feb. 4, 2023, when Brooklyn’s Cam Thomas rang up 44 against Washington.

This historic individual showing by Washington wasn’t nearly enough to erase a disastrous team start. Almost immediately, Charlotte’s defense provided very little resistance to Utah, which got whatever shots it wanted from the get-go. The Jazz piled up 47 first-quarter points – the most ever by a Hornets’ opponent – then added another 35 in the second to take an 82-47 halftime lead. These 82 first-half points (also an opponent franchise record) ran the total that the Hornets had allowed over their previous four quarters to a staggering 165.

But just like how Friday’s game flipped at halftime, so did this one, too. Charlotte won the third quarter, 41-23, trimming a once 36-point deficit down to only 17. Led by Washington’s incessant shot-making, the Hornets continued to whittle away in the fourth, eventually pulling with seven with under a minute to go. But they simply ran out of time and stops, as Collin Sexton soon rolled in a layup, leading into a game-sealing empty possession for Charlotte.

“We weren’t ready to play,” said Hornets Head Coach Steve Clifford afterwards, when asked about the team’s first-half performance. “Our defense was better in the second half. We played harder. We tried harder. That’s what we did. We tried harder.”

Added Washington, “It was a terrible effort on the defensive end [in the first half]. We were playing way too soft and letting them get into a rhythm early. It’s hard to win when you let them get 82 in the first half. For us, that’s just unacceptable. I got hot and kept trying to take open shots. Credit my teammates for finding me, but obviously, it wasn’t enough. We didn’t do too good defensively in the second half, either.”

Nick Richards upped his career scoring high from earlier in the week, finishing with 26 points on 10-of-11 shooting, a game-high 13 rebounds and a season-high-tying four blocks. This was Richards’ third-ever 20-10 game and second in three outings. Ish Smith got the start in place of LaMelo Ball, becoming the fourth player in NBA history with no points, no turnovers and at least 12 assists (Fat Lever, Chris Duhon, José Calderón) in a single game, per Basketball Reference.

Leading the way for Utah was Lauri Markkanen, who had 33 points – 18 in the first quarter – on 12-of-18 shooting, a season-high seven 3-pointers and 12 rebounds in the win. Sexton (24) and John Collins (20) both reached 20 points, with the former dishing out a career-high 13 assists for his second double-double of the season. Utah become the fourth consecutive Charlotte opponent to shoot at least 50.0% from the field (55.9%) and 39.0% from 3-point range (41.5%).

The Hornets will continue their four-game homestand against the New York Knicks on Monday, Jan. 29 beginning at 7 PM ET at Spectrum Center. Follow all the action on Bally Sports Southeast and WFNZ 92.7 FM.

2024-01-29

Hornets Rolled In 3rd Quarter Again, Knicks Coast To Big Win

Sam Perley, NBA.com/Hornets

Depth-Depleted Charlotte Starts Big, Miller Matches Career High, Double-Double for Bridges

For the third straight game, the Charlotte Hornets conceded a monstrous number of points in a single quarter, this time dooming their chances in a 113-92 home loss to the New York Knicks on Monday night.

Brandon Miller tied a career high with 29 points on 11-of-19 shooting, while also adding three 3-pointers, seven rebounds and three assists across 39 minutes. Miles Bridges (21 points) established a new career best with a seventh consecutive 20-point game and grabbed a game-high-tying 10 rebounds for his eighth double-double of the campaign.

Charlotte went to toe-to-toe with the Knicks’ seventh-ranked defense in the opening half, sliding into the midway point down by only three. But much like Houston did on Friday, New York rode Jalen Brunson (15 points) and Donte DiVincenzo (12 points) in the third, shooting a blistering 81% to win the frame by a 44-24 margin. The Knicks bumped their cushion to 29 in the fourth and swept the regular season series with Charlotte for the first time since 1991-92.

“In the third quarter, we couldn’t stop those two guys.” said Hornets Head Coach Steve Clifford, who was ejected with nine minutes left in the game. “We don’t have a lot of depth. It’s hard to put 48 minutes together. We’re subbing differently every game, and those are not healthy things. You don’t get into a rhythm… [or] a comfort level with who you’re playing with. I’ve got to figure some of that out, and it’s also hard with guys in and out. Tonight, we had a couple lineups out there that we’re just trying to get through with, and we didn’t at all.”

Added Martin, “I think going into the third quarter, I don’t know what it is – maybe a lack of focus and prioritizing defense over the course of the game. [We need to be] prioritizing good starts in the third, and obviously you can’t control shots and things like that. Just trying to control what we can and making sure we’re in the right spots and rotations.”

PJ Washington added 16 points and Cody Martin, who started at point guard for the first time as an NBA player, recorded season highs in both points (14) and assists (eight). Given its backcourt depth issues, the Hornets committed a manageable 14 turnovers, though they resulted in 25 New York points. Charlotte scrounged up only seven bench points and sank seven free throws, good for a bottom-three seasonal total which have now all come against the Knicks.

Brunson had a game-high 32 points – 19 in the second half – on 13-of-24 shooting and seven assists in New York’s seventh consecutive victory. DiVincenzo added 28 points – the second-highest total of his career – five 3-pointers, six rebounds and five assists, while Miles McBride (11) and Isaiah Hartenstein (10) also crossed into double figures. Like Charlotte, New York was also missing a trio of starters in Julius Randle, OG Anunoby, and Mitchell Robinson.

The Hornets will close out their four-game homestand against the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday, Jan. 31 beginning at 7 PM ET at Spectrum Center. Catch all the action on Bally Sports Southeast and WFNZ 92.7 FM.