The Charlotte Hornets’ home opener quickly turned into a runaway for Atlanta on Friday night at the Spectrum Center.
After opening the 2026-27 season with an exciting win on Wednesday, Charlotte came back short-handed again, missing Kon Knueppel, Coby White, and Grant Williams for a second straight game. Atlanta, which beat the Orlando Magic 132-125 on Wednesday, wasted no time taking control and never looked back.
The Hawks jumped out to a double-digit lead in the first quarter, and from there the margin kept growing. Atlanta led by as many as 39 points and rolled to a wire-to-wire 128-81 win, leaving the Hornets unable to even get to 90 points.
Turnovers were a major problem all night. Charlotte finished with 25 giveaways, and Atlanta turned those mistakes into 22 points. It was another rough showing in a category that had already been an issue in preseason, and one that becomes even more pressing with a matchup against Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Miami Heat coming tomorrow.
"Some of this, we are still trying to learn each other, figure out offensive systems, where to be," Head Coach Charles Lee said after the game ended.
Brandon Miller also had a night to forget. After a second-half dip against the Nets on Wednesday, the fourth-year wing again struggled to find his rhythm, finishing with 6 points on 2-of-14 shooting and 1-of-11 from behind the arc. He also posted a team-low minus-37.
"I have the upmost confidence in some of the shots he's taking, he's going to hit them at a higher clip this year," Lee said to the media after the game.
The Hornets are counting on more from Miller, especially after committing $209 million to him over the next few seasons on Monday. Charlotte needs him to become its clear-cut best player, and outside of a scoring burst in the first quarter against Brooklyn, he has not delivered the start the team is looking for.
Friday also brought the NBA debut of the Hornets’ 2026 14th overall pick. He finished with 6 points and 5 rebounds, including 3 defensive boards and 2 offensive boards, in limited minutes.
In Other News...
Hornets Already Face A Brandon Miller Concern They Feared
Brandon Millers first game of the season did little to quiet the questions that followed him into the year. With LaMelo Ball no longer around to steer the offense, the Hornets are already staring at the concern they feared most: whether Miller can generate enough good looks on his own, or whether his production will dip when he has to carry more of the creation burden.
There is still room for the picture to change as Charlotte gets more help around him, with Coby White and Kon Knueppel among the players who could ease some of that pressure. But the opener served as an early reminder that Millers comfort level can look very different depending on who is setting the table, and the Hornets may spend the coming weeks finding out how much of his game travels without Ball beside him. [Read more 🡒]
Grant Williams Is Already Feeling The Buzz Around Charlotte's Opener
Grant Williams has been soaking up the buildup to the Hornets' home opener in a way that fits both his roots and his role as one of the more visible Charlotte natives on the roster. Even though he won't be on the floor for the opener, the buzz around the building has already reached him, and he sounds eager to be part of a night that blends basketball, local pride and a little extra pageantry for a fan base waiting to see what this group looks like at home.
The opener will also bring a familiar soundtrack to the evening, with Petey Pablo set to perform North Carolina's unofficial anthem at halftime. For Williams, the occasion carries a personal layer beyond the game itself, with his connection to playing in his hometown and his reflections on fatherhood giving the night a meaning that goes beyond one regular-season date on the calendar. [Read more 🡒]
Brandon Miller Just Put Charlottes Early Offensive Problem On Display
The early season warning signs for Charlotte showed up in blunt fashion in Atlanta, where the Hornets were overwhelmed 128-81 in their second game of the year. Brandon Miller had one of the roughest nights of his young season, as the offense around him never found a rhythm and the Hawks turned the game into a one-sided mismatch before it could really settle in.
Charlottes issues went beyond one off shooting night. The Hornets finished at 34 percent from the field and coughed the ball up 25 times, while Atlanta shot 51 percent and kept control on both ends. Millers struggles only underscored how much pressure is on the Hornets to find more reliable scoring and cleaner possessions as the schedule moves forward. [Read more 🡒]