Warriors Outpace Hornets Despite Strong Effort from Brandon Miller
Final Score: Warriors 136, Hornets 116
The Charlotte Hornets came into Chase Center with a plan: make life difficult for Steph Curry. And to their credit, they did just that.
Sion James and Collin Sexton stayed glued to Curry all night, limiting the two-time MVP to just 14 points on 12 shot attempts. But while they won the Steph battle, the Hornets lost the war - and by a wide margin.
Golden State simply had too much firepower elsewhere. Even with Jimmy Butler a late scratch, the Warriors’ supporting cast stepped up.
De’Anthony Melton dropped 24 off the bench, and the spacing created by Curry’s gravity gave guys like Al Horford and Josh Green clean looks from deep. Charlotte’s defense, while improved in recent weeks, struggled to contain the Warriors’ five-out attack - especially without Moussa Diabate anchoring the middle.
LaMelo Returns to the Court - from the Bench
LaMelo Ball came off the bench for just the second time this season, a move clearly aimed at managing his minutes on the first night of a back-to-back. In theory, it makes sense - keep him fresh and available for late-game situations.
But in practice, it left the Hornets’ starting unit without its primary playmaker. The result?
A sluggish offensive start and a -5 plus-minus for the starters, with a brutal -21 net rating.
LaMelo finished with 15 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists in 21 minutes, but shot just 29% from the field. It’s a tough spot for Charlotte - sit him and risk falling behind early, or play him and risk long-term wear. Right now, it feels like a lose-lose scenario.
Brandon Miller Shines - Until Foul Trouble Hits
If there was a bright spot for the Hornets, it was Brandon Miller. The rookie continues to look more comfortable with each game, and he was electric in the second half.
Miller poured in 28 points, grabbed 6 boards, and dished 5 assists, helping Charlotte claw back into the game before a fourth foul - confirmed after a challenge - sent him to the bench. That moment swung the momentum hard in Golden State’s favor.
Miller’s six turnovers were a blemish, but they came in the context of increased playmaking responsibility. Head coach Charles Lee noted postgame that the Warriors’ defensive pressure forced Miller into more of a facilitator role. Even so, the offensive flashes were undeniable.
Bench Production Lacking Outside the Starting Core
Outside of Miller and Knueppel, Charlotte got very little from its bench - and no, LaMelo doesn’t count in that group. Sion James, while active defensively chasing Curry, went 0-for-5 from the field.
Tidjane struggled mightily on defense. Grant added 7 points but had trouble contesting shooters.
Josh Green didn’t even attempt a shot. In contrast, the Warriors’ bench was a difference-maker, led by Melton’s 24 points.
Kon Knueppel Keeps Cooking
Kon Knueppel continues to be a model of efficiency. He dropped 24 points on just 11 shots, including four makes from deep on five attempts.
He also led the team in rebounds with 11 and added 2 assists. His offensive game is smooth, calculated, and increasingly consistent - a major plus for a Hornets team still figuring out its identity.
Bridges Struggles in Crunch Time
Miles Bridges had a rough outing. He finished with 9 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists on 4-of-12 shooting, including just 1-of-6 from beyond the arc.
But it was his decision-making in the fourth quarter that really hurt Charlotte. With the game still within reach, Bridges forced the issue, ignoring the flow of the offense and taking two ill-advised shots, both of which missed badly.
He also committed two turnovers in less than four minutes during that stretch, effectively killing any chance of a comeback.
Hornets Defense Improving, But Still Vulnerable
To be fair, the Hornets have shown signs of growth defensively. Their rotations are sharper, and the effort is there.
But they remain vulnerable against teams that can space the floor and exploit mismatches - especially when facing star talent. Without Diabate, Charlotte did manage to rebound well (22 second-chance points off offensive boards), but they couldn’t close out on shooters.
Horford and Green had too many clean looks from three, and the defensive trio of Kalkbrenner, Grant, and Tidjane couldn’t cover enough ground.
The Bottom Line
This was a game where the Hornets executed parts of their game plan well - they slowed down Steph Curry and battled on the boards - but couldn’t overcome the depth and spacing of a Warriors team that knows how to capitalize on mismatches. Brandon Miller’s continued development is a major positive, and Knueppel looks like a foundational piece. But until Charlotte finds more consistency from its bench and solves its early-game offensive struggles, games like this - where the effort is there but the execution falls short - will keep piling up.