Hornets Ride Second-Quarter Surge to Hold Off Spurs in Chaotic Matinee Clash
With winter storms barreling toward the East Coast, the Spurs and Hornets tipped off earlier than expected in Charlotte - 11:00 AM CT, to be exact - in hopes of getting the visitors out of town before the snow shut things down. But inside Spectrum Center, it was anything but cold. The Hornets caught fire in the second quarter, and despite a strong second-half push from San Antonio, Charlotte held on for a 111-106 win - their sixth straight, a streak the franchise hasn’t seen since 2016.
Early Energy, Fast Break Fuel
You’d be forgiven for thinking this was a prime-time showdown, not a brunch-hour tipoff. Both teams came out with pace and purpose.
The Spurs started 4-of-7 from the field but couldn’t convert some easy looks at the rim. Meanwhile, the Hornets were surgical, opening 6-of-8 and rattling off a 7-0 run to take an early 15-10 lead.
Devin Vassell, back in the starting lineup in place of Harrison Barnes, made an immediate impact with a block that led to a four-point play by Julian Champagnie. That gave the Spurs a brief 22-20 lead before the game settled into a more deliberate rhythm as both benches checked in.
Rookie Dylan Harper wasted no time making his presence felt, scoring seven quick points off the bench while going head-to-head with fellow rookie Kon Knueppel. San Antonio closed the first quarter up 30-26, thanks in part to a 6-0 advantage in fast break points.
Hornets Flip the Script in the Second
The Spurs opened the second quarter with back-to-back fast break dunks, but Collin Sexton - a familiar thorn in San Antonio’s side - came off Charlotte’s bench and flipped the momentum. He scored 10 quick points, sparking a 10-2 Hornets run that erased a seven-point Spurs lead and put Charlotte back in front, 41-40.
From there, the wheels started to come off for San Antonio. Turnovers piled up.
The halfcourt offense stalled. And Victor Wembanyama - who struggled through one of his roughest halves of the season - couldn’t get going.
Wemby had just four points on 2-of-8 shooting at the break, with zero defensive rebounds and some uncharacteristic missteps on defense.
Meanwhile, Brandon Miller lit it up. The second-year forward poured in 18 first-half points, including three straight threes to close the second quarter - one of them a four-point play after Wembanyama fouled him. That capped off a 16-2 Hornets run and sent the Spurs into the locker room down 61-47, despite having controlled much of the first half.
Spurs Rally, But Charlotte Closes
Charlotte came out of halftime and pushed the lead to 20, with Miller continuing his heater - including a couple of circus shots that seemed to defy physics. But the Spurs didn’t fold. They tightened up defensively, moved the ball more decisively, and chipped away at the deficit.
Threes from Champagnie and Barnes helped narrow the gap, and the Spurs got it down to single digits multiple times in the third quarter. But every time they threatened, the Hornets had an answer - including back-to-back threes from Sexton and Knueppel off offensive rebounds that stretched the lead back to 10 heading into the fourth, 85-75.
The fourth quarter was a chaotic back-and-forth. The Hornets thrived in the scramble, hitting tough threes off broken plays and near-turnovers.
Grant Williams buried one from deep to push the lead back to 13, but Barnes responded with two straight threes to ignite a 15-4 Spurs run. Stephon Castle added five straight points of his own, and suddenly the Spurs were within two, 100-98, with just over a minute remaining.
But that was as close as they’d get.
Barnes fouled Miles Bridges on a three-point attempt - well after the shot had left his hands - gifting Charlotte three free throws and a five-point cushion. Wembanyama had a chance to tie the game on the next possession but opted for a quick-trigger three early in the shot clock.
It missed badly. Miller iced the game at the line, and Charlotte walked away with a 111-106 win - and a six-game win streak that ties their longest in a decade.
Game Notes & Key Takeaways
Barnes’ Streak Ends, But He Still Contributes Late
For the first time since 2016, Harrison Barnes came off the bench, with Vassell rejoining the starting five.
It was a tough call, but a necessary shake-up. Vassell brought energy and wasn’t shy about pulling the trigger, scoring 15 points and hitting a pair of threes in the first quarter.
Barnes struggled early, missing his first two shots and committing a rare over-and-back violation, but he found his rhythm late and was instrumental in the fourth-quarter surge - despite the costly foul on Bridges.
Rookie Duel: Harper Shines, Knueppel Contained
Dylan Harper led all Spurs scorers with 20 points, slicing through the Hornets’ defense and knocking down 2-of-3 from deep.
On the other end, San Antonio made life difficult for Knueppel - a 50/40/90 shooter already in his rookie year. They swarmed him on the perimeter and limited him to 13 points and just 1-of-4 from beyond the arc.
That one make, however, was a momentum-killer late in the third.
Wemby’s Tough Day at the Office
This was far from Wembanyama’s best.
He finished with 16 points on 6-of-15 shooting, didn’t record a block, and looked a step slow defensively. After grabbing just one offensive rebound in the first half, he did pull down seven boards in the second - a sign of increased effort - but the rhythm never fully clicked.
His ill-advised three in crunch time summed up a frustrating afternoon.
Officiating Review: One Call That Went the Spurs’ Way
With 36 seconds left, Charlotte’s Brandon Miller drew a foul on a three-point attempt after landing on De’Aaron Fox’s foot.
Spurs head coach Johnson challenged the call, and after review, it was overturned - Miller had clearly kicked out his leg to initiate the contact. It was the right call, but it also highlighted some confusion in the broadcast booth.
The announcers seemed unaware of the rule, calling it a “natural shooting motion” when it clearly wasn’t. A small moment, but one that could’ve swung the game if not for Charlotte’s late execution.
The Spurs showed grit in the second half, but once again found themselves undone by a brutal stretch before halftime. For Charlotte, it’s another step forward in what’s shaping up to be a quietly impressive midseason run.