South Charlotte Today

The Charlotte Hornets faced a narrow defeat against the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday night, with a final score of 116-115. This loss likely eliminates them from the Emirates NBA Cup. The game began positively for the Hornets, who led by 14 points after the first quarter. However, a poor second quarter saw their lead evaporate as they trailed by 11 points at one stage.

Brandon Miller was a standout performer for Charlotte, scoring 29 points and extending his streak of games with multiple steals to five. Miles Bridges contributed 21 points, making five out of nine three-point attempts. For Brooklyn, Cam Johnson stepped up in the absence of leading scorer Cam Thomas, achieving a season-high 34 points. Jalen Wilson also impressed with 17 points.

The game's turning point came when Brooklyn overcame an early deficit to lead by double digits midway through the match. Despite Charlotte's efforts to regain control in the third quarter, Trendon Watford's crucial seven-point contribution in the closing minutes helped secure Brooklyn's victory.

Turnovers were detrimental for Charlotte, as they committed 23 turnovers leading to 24 points for Brooklyn. Despite shooting well from beyond the arc with a season-best percentage of 54.1%, these mistakes proved costly.

LaMelo Ball had an off night, managing only 12 points and sitting out the final minutes despite his recent strong performances in fourth quarters.

Hornets Head Coach Charles Lee reflected on the game: “I think we recaptured the momentum in the second half, but in the first half, I think we just let go of the rope... The game awareness got better as the game went on.”

Looking ahead, Charlotte will host Detroit Pistons on Thursday at Spectrum Center.