Hornets Rally From 22 Down to Stun Pelicans, Extend Win Streak to Seven
Final: Hornets 102, Pelicans 95
Charlotte improves to 23-28 | New Orleans drops to 13-29
A Second-Half Statement
Down 22 points in the second quarter, the Charlotte Hornets looked flat-out overwhelmed. The offense was sputtering, the defense couldn’t get a stop, and the Pelicans were playing with purpose. But then came the flip - the kind of turnaround that doesn’t just win you a game, it tells you something deeper about where a team is headed.
Charlotte outscored New Orleans 53-31 in the second half, storming all the way back to secure their seventh straight win - their first 7-game win streak in a decade. And they did it while shooting just 24% from beyond the arc.
That’s not a typo. This wasn’t a hot-shooting night that masked flaws.
This was a grind-it-out, dig-deep, find-a-way kind of win.
Brandon Miller: Tale of Two Halves
Brandon Miller’s night was a microcosm of the team’s overall arc. In the first half, he couldn’t find a rhythm - over-dribbling, forcing shots, and coughing up possessions that turned into easy transition buckets for the Pelicans.
But the second half? That was the Miller who earned NBA Player of the Week honors not long ago.
He settled down, made smart reads, and played within the flow of the offense, finishing with 16 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists.
It’s the kind of bounce-back that shows maturity - not just from Miller, but from the team as a whole.
Defense Wins Comebacks
Let’s call it what it was: Charlotte’s defense won this game. After giving up 64 points in the first half, the Hornets held the Pelicans to just 31 in the second. That’s not just an adjustment - that’s a defensive lockdown.
Zion Williamson was held to 14 points on 5-of-13 shooting and struggled at the line (4-of-9). Charlotte’s bigs did an excellent job of crowding him without fouling, staying vertical, and forcing him into tough angles. The Pelicans’ offense, which had hummed early, got stuck in the mud late - and Charlotte never let them out.
The Hornets didn’t just switch schemes - they switched mindsets.
LaMelo Ball: Bloodied, Unbowed, and Brilliant
LaMelo Ball was the heartbeat of this comeback. And he nearly lost some of that heartbeat - or at least a few drops of it - after a head-to-head collision with head coach Charles Lee early in the game. Ball left the court with a towel pressed to his face, bloodied but not beaten.
He returned with a gash above his eye and a fire in his game. Ball finished with 24 points, 8 rebounds, and 8 assists, but the numbers only tell part of the story.
He attacked mismatches, absorbed contact, and made the kind of plays that swing momentum. Even with his shot not falling consistently, Ball’s presence and poise were undeniable.
Coach Lee took the blame for the accidental collision, joking that Ball didn’t yell at him too much afterward. But what Ball did instead was lead - and that mattered a whole lot more.
The Dirty Work Crew Delivers
While Ball and Miller made headlines, the Hornets’ frontcourt trio of Grant Williams, Ryan Kalkbrenner, and Moussa Diabate did the gritty work that made the comeback possible.
- Grant Williams chipped in 16 points and 9 boards, providing timely buckets when the offense was stuck in the mud early.
- Ryan Kalkbrenner added 10 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 blocks, anchoring the paint and altering shots all night.
- Moussa Diabate only scored 2 points, but his 9 rebounds and physical presence helped Charlotte win the battle inside.
Together, they tracked Zion relentlessly, challenged shots without fouling, and controlled the glass down the stretch. It wasn’t flashy - but it was essential.
A Win With Playoff DNA
This wasn’t just a comeback. It was a gut-check.
A response to adversity. A game where the Hornets didn’t need a hot start or a hot hand to carry them - they needed heart, hustle, and defense.
And they got all three.
Seven straight wins now. The longest streak this franchise has seen in ten years. And this one, coming back from 22 down, might be the most telling of the bunch.
This team isn’t just playing better. It’s growing up. And if this is the version of the Hornets we’re getting from here on out, the Eastern Conference might want to take notice.