ATLANTA — That buzz you hear from Charlotte is getting louder. In a stunning and unexpected in-season turnaround, the surging Hornets won their ninth straight game on Saturday, beating the Atlanta Hawks 126-119, behind 26 points from “vet” Miles Bridges — now the team’s oldest player at just 27 — and 23 from rookie Kon Knueppel.
“The group continues to just grow in a lot of ways,” said Hornets coach Charles Lee. “And you’re seeing the defensive effort consistently be there. [It’s] not always perfect, but it’s definitely there.”
Charlotte’s stunning surge has come in what was supposed to be another rebuilding year. The Hornets, who started the year 4-14, are now just half a game behind Atlanta for ninth place in the East. Their recent stretch of play can hardly be dismissed as a fluke, either.
In 23 games since Christmas, the Hornets have the league’s No. 1 offense and No. 1 net rating. The same team, with several of the same players, was 29th in offense a year ago.
“It’s been buckling down on the defensive end,” said Bridges of the streak. “I mean, of course, our main three guys are making shots in LaMelo [Ball], Brandon [Miller] and Kon. Moose [Moussa Diabate] has been a monster on the glass, but I think everything boils down to defense for us.”
In addition to their clear offensive talent, the Hornets have displayed unusual chemistry and consistency for such a young squad. Following trade deadline moves that sent out two little-used veterans, the Hornets oldest player is 27-year-old Bridges.
“Yeah, I’m the OG,” said Lee with a smile; he himself is one of the league’s youngest coaches at 41. “But also, Miles, he’s one of our most vocal guys. He’s been through a lot of experiences. I look at a guy like Grant Williams, who’s also been on playoff-caliber teams. Now I’m getting Coby [White], who has been in playoffs and high stakes games. And having Mason here previously, having Pat here previously, I think really helps these guys.”
Atlanta had a chance to tie the game in the final seconds, down three with 23 seconds left after LaMelo Ball hit two free throws, but a corner 3 by Nickeil Alexander-Walker back-rimmed out and Brandon Miller hit two free throws with 12 seconds left to seal the game. A turnover by Atlanta on the subsequent inbound ended any further drama. The win was the fourth straight by the Hornets in games decided by five points or less, after they began the season 0-8 in such contests.
The Hornets will try to extend the streak to double digits at home against the East-leading Detroit Pistons on Monday; during that rough start, Charlotte lost its first meeting against the Pistons 112-86. After that, the Hornets will have a rematch against Atlanta on Wednesday, this time in Charlotte, in their final game before the All-Star break.
Charlotte’s starting group in particular has been fantastic. The threat of four deadly shooters playing together has left defenses with impossible quandaries, and the chemistry has gone to another level.
“Just us being healthy, knowing each other’s games, trusting the pass and playing defense,” said Bridges, after both Miller and Ball had injury-plagued 2024-25 seasons.
Miles Bridges, left, Moussa Diabate, center, and LaMelo Ball have helped fuel a starting unit that has been fantastic for the Hornets. (Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)
Charlotte shot 18-of-39 from 3 in the win, continuing a torrid offensive stretch that has fueled their streak. The sharpshooting quartet of Ball, Knueppel, Miller and Bridges combined for 83 of the Hornets’ 124 points Saturday and took 31 3-point attempts between them. Those four snipers give the Hornets enviable amounts of floor spacing.
“Yeah, I mean that gives me a lot of driving lanes,” said Bridges. “If I have Kon on the corner, you can’t help up there. If I have Brandon on the high quadrant, you can’t help from there.”
The fifth starter in the group, center Moussa Diabate, grabbed five of Charlotte’s 16 offensive rebounds and had 15 overall; he has the league’s second-best offensive rebound rate among qualifying players.
“Moose is one of the most underrated bigs in the league when it comes to rebounding and impacting the game,” said Bridges, “and as long as he keeps doing that, we’ll have a chance with any team to play.”
Atlanta’s Jalen Johnson, who was recently named to his first All-Star game, led the Hawks with 31 points, nine rebounds, eight assists and three steals.
The only trade deadline acquisition to play for either team was Hawks center Jock Landale. Charlotte guard Coby White is out with a calf strain, while Hawks forward Jonathan Kuminga missed the game with a bone bruise that is expected to keep him out past the All-Star break. Atlanta acquisitions Buddy Hield and Gabe Vincent were healthy scratches.
But as the Hornets try to extend their streak, Lee also noted that the rough start was part of the Hornets’ process to reach this point.
“I would say getting some guys back healthy definitely helped during that stretch,” said Lee. “But even the guys that were playing when we weren’t healthy, we’re building the right habits. And then when the guys come back, our daily process is pretty elite. And it’s a testament to our players, a testament to everyone in the organization, all the hard work that they put in. And everyone just continues to trust in that and get better.”
As for Charlotte’s other “OG,” Bridges said it’s too soon to brand him a grizzled vet.
“I’m at big brother status,” he said, “but not ‘Unc’ status yet.”