The Charlotte Hornets didn’t waste much time flushing Friday night. Back in action Saturday against the Miami Heat, they steadied themselves enough to walk out with a 115-110 win, improving to 2-1 on the young season while Miami slipped to 0-3.
The Heat came in on the second night of a back-to-back after losing to the Detroit Pistons the night before. Even with new superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo wearing Heat red and white after a decade with the Milwaukee Bucks, Miami couldn’t turn that fresh start into a victory.
Charlotte’s cleaner play stood out right away. After opening the season with back-to-back games featuring 20-plus turnovers, the Hornets cut that number down to 15 against Miami.
That still led to 23 Heat points, but it was a clear step in the right direction after a sloppy start to the year. Charles Lee talked during the preseason about the need to reduce turnovers, and Saturday was a much better example of what that can look like.
With several players on the roster who are already among the league’s best at protecting the ball, the Hornets expect that trend to keep moving their way.
Brandon Miller was at the center of the turnaround. After a rough Friday night in which he scored 6 points on 2/14 shooting and finished minus-37 against the Hawks, the fourth-year wing answered with one of his best games of the season.
He posted 34 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists, while knocking down three 3-pointers. The efficiency wasn’t perfect, but the production was exactly what Charlotte needed from the player tied to that $209 million deal he signed Monday.
Naz Reid also kept giving the Hornets a steady boost. He scored 23 points, grabbed 9 rebounds, and hit 5 of 8 from beyond the arc. Through his first three games with Charlotte, he has looked fully comfortable in his role next to Moussa Diabaté at the four.
Across those three games, Naz has averaged 20 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 3.0 assists, while posting a 58.3% true-shooting number. For a Hornets team that has already banked two wins, his early-season impact has been a major reason why.
In Other News...
Hornets Handed Miami A Win That Already Has Spoelstra Fuming
Miamis rough opening to the 2026-27 season has already put Erik Spoelstra in an uneasy spot, and the Hornets were part of the latest chapter. The Heat dropped a third straight game to open the year, their worst start since 2007-08, after a matchup that left their coach sounding frustrated with both the way his team played and the way the game was being called.
Charlottes win also came with a notable twist involving Giannis Antetokounmpo, who had been effective in Miamis first two games before getting bogged down in foul trouble against the Hornets. Spoelstra made it clear afterward that he was unhappy with the whistle Antetokounmpo received and with how his team handled the game around it, leaving Miami searching for answers as the schedule keeps moving. [Read more 🡒]
Naz Reid Is Giving The Hornets Something They Desperately Needed
Naz Reid has given Charlotte exactly the kind of stabilizing presence it was chasing when it brought him over from Minnesota. Through the opening stretch of the 2026-27 season, he has slid into a major role for a young Hornets group, logging heavy minutes while supplying scoring, rebounding and a steadying voice in the locker room. For a team that has often leaned on youth and upside, Reids blend of experience and production has been a welcome change.
He has backed that up on the floor, too, with his recent showing in a win over Miami serving as another sign that Charlotte may have found more than just a complementary big. Reid has also talked about the need for resilience and preparation with an eye toward the playoffs, which says plenty about where his head is at and what the Hornets hope he can help them become. If he keeps this up, the trade is going to look like a very timely piece of business. [Read more 🡒]