The Charlotte Hornets didn’t just beat the Washington Wizards on Monday night - they cleaned up one of their biggest early-season problems while getting star-level production from Brandon Miller.
Charlotte held off Washington 110-103 at Spectrum Center, moving to 3-1 for the first time since the 2021-22 season. The win came despite the Hornets being without Coby White and Kon Knueppel again, and despite a Wizards team that arrived with a 2-1 record and two new headliners in Anthony Davis and Trae Young.
The most encouraging part for Charlotte may have been how much more controlled the offense looked. Turnovers have been a real issue for the Hornets to open the season, with the team coughing it up 20 or more times in two of its first three games. On Monday, that number dropped to 11, a new season-low and a clear step in the right direction over the last two games.
Miller was the driving force all night. Coming off a rough 6-point outing in Friday’s loss to the Atlanta Hawks, he answered with 34 against the Miami Heat on Saturday and then went even higher against Washington. He poured in 39 points to go with 5 rebounds, an assist, 3 steals, and 2 blocks, finishing plus-16 in one of the best all-around performances of his young Hornets career.
The timing only adds to the story. Last Monday, Miller agreed to a five-year, $209 million rookie-scale extension, and Charlotte has already seen the full range of what it’s paying for - the dud in Atlanta, the bounce-back against Miami, and now a dominant showing against the Wizards.
Moussa Diabaté also gave the Hornets a major lift inside. The starting center grabbed 11 offensive rebounds, a career high for Charlotte, and ended with 11 points, 17 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 blocks, and a steal. His early third season has turned heads, and Monday was another strong case that he’s becoming a real piece for the Hornets moving forward.
Naz Reid was also part of the winning effort as Charlotte found enough balance to finish off Washington and keep its best start in three years rolling.
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Dennis Schroder Is Giving Hornets Fans A Reason To Believe
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Schroders career has taken him through 12 NBA teams, and Charlotte is already seeing why his presence can matter in a tight game. The Hornets are 2-1 after the win, and with Washington up next, there is at least a growing sense that this group can compete when the pace picks up and the shots start falling. [Read more 🡒]
Brandon Miller Now Carries A Big Test For This Shorthanded Hornets Team
Charlottes current homestand has already shown how much the offense can swing from one night to the next, and Brandon Miller has been right at the center of it. After a quiet scoring night in a loss to Atlanta, he answered with 34 points in a win over Miami, a reminder of how much the Hornets lean on his shot-making when the tempo picks up and the margin for error shrinks.
The next stop brings another shorthanded opponent in Washington, but Charlottes own injury situation is what makes this feel like a real test. With several regulars unavailable, the Hornets will need Miller to carry more of the load again, not just as a scorer but as the player most capable of stabilizing the group when the rotation is thinned out and the game turns into a grind. [Read more 🡒]
Hornets Face An Early Test Their 2-1 Start Hasn't Answered
Charlottes 2-1 start has brought a little early momentum, but the next stretch offers a cleaner read on where this team really stands. The Hornets have already shown some resilience after taking a heavy loss, and theyve also proven they can rebound quickly after a rough night, which is part of what makes the opening week feel encouraging even if the schedule has been unforgiving.
Washington arrives with the kind of top-end talent that can tilt a game, and that is what gives this matchup its edge from the Wizards side. For Charlotte, the concern is less about the record and more about whether it can match that level of firepower for four quarters, especially after a game that asked plenty of its key scorers and exposed how thin the margin can be against a more star-driven opponent. [Read more 🡒]