South Charlotte Today

The Charlotte Hornets faced a challenging game against the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday evening, battling back from a double-digit second-half deficit to force overtime. Despite their efforts, they ultimately fell short in a narrow 107-105 loss.

LaMelo Ball led the Hornets with a standout performance, scoring 38 points, including 21 after the third quarter. Brandon Miller contributed 22 points and seven rebounds. Philadelphia, missing key players Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, relied on strong bench performances from rookie Jared McCain and Guerschon Yabusele.

Philadelphia gained momentum with a significant run bridging halftime and maintained their lead until Ball sparked a comeback for Charlotte. The game extended into overtime but was marked by several Hornets' errors that cost them the win.

Charlotte's early offensive struggles were evident as they matched their number of field goals with turnovers in the first half. Despite improved play in the fourth quarter, these initial setbacks proved costly.

The Hornets have frequently found themselves in close games this season, gaining experience in clutch situations. However, some late-game mistakes during overtime served as reminders of areas needing improvement.

Paul George was kept relatively quiet compared to his previous encounter with Charlotte earlier this year. He scored 15 points and sat out overtime due to minutes restrictions.

Brandon Miller commented postgame: “The ability to fight back in a long game against a tough crowd like this, I think it shows a lot of heart from the guys. Of course, the outcome wasn’t what we wanted. I think this is a learning experience.”

Looking ahead, the Hornets will continue their road trip against the Orlando Magic on Tuesday as part of Emirates NBA Cup play.