Steph Curry Crashes the Party: How the Homecoming King Ruined Kon Knueppel’s Big Night
There is a specific kind of pain reserved for Charlotte Hornets fans. It’s the pain of filling your own arena to capacity—literally setting an attendance record with 19,685 people—only to realize half the building is cheering for the guy actively destroying your team.
That was the vibe at the Spectrum Center on Wednesday night. The prodigal son, Stephen Curry, returned to Charlotte. And in typical “Chef” fashion, he didn’t just show up to wave at the crowd; he showed up to cook. The Golden State Warriors walked away with a 132-125 victory, proving once again that in the NBA, narrative almost always wins.
The Chef Cooked Up a Fourth Quarter Nightmare
For three quarters, it looked like the Hornets might actually pull off the upset. They were scrappy. They were energetic. They held a five-point lead and seemed to have the momentum. But if you’ve watched Curry play over the last decade, you know that a five-point lead against Golden State is about as safe as a generic NPC in a horror game.
The fourth quarter was a absolute collapse for the home team. The Hornets gave up 34 points in the final frame. You can talk about “defensive intensity” all you want, but when Curry and the Warriors decide to flip the switch, there isn’t much a young team can do but watch the scoreboard tilt.
Hornets Coach Charles Lee tried to put a positive spin on it, channeling his best “we’ll get ’em next time” energy. “Obviously not happy about the results, but I am really happy with the group,” Lee said. He praised the team’s togetherness and their attempt to “get the ball out of Curry’s hands.”
Spoiler alert: It didn’t work. Curry dropped 26 points, Brandon Podziemski and Jimmy Butler added 19 each, and the Warriors drained 24 three-pointers. That’s not a basketball stat; that’s a cheat code.
Kon Knueppel Returns (And Curry Takes Notice)
The subplot of the night was the return of Kon Knueppel. After missing a game with an ankle injury that had him feeling “shaky” and weirdly sidelined for the first time in his life, the rookie came back with a vengeance.
Knueppel dropped 20 points and looked like he belonged on the floor with the legends. It’s one thing to have a good stat line; it’s another to get the stamp of approval from the greatest shooter to ever walk the earth.
Curry was genuinely complimentary of the youngster after the game. “He plays with such composure,” Curry said. “He obviously can shoot the ball at a high level… He is shooting with confidence, and his playmaking is very underrated too.”
When Steph Curry says you can’t be left open, you frame that quote and put it on your wall. It was a moral victory for Knueppel, even if the actual victory flew back to the Bay Area.
Brandon Miller: The Silver Lining Playbook
If there is a beacon of hope in the darkness of an 11-22 record, it’s Brandon Miller. The man is on a heater. He dropped 33 points against the Warriors, marking his second straight game with over 30.
Miller is quickly becoming the “main character” of this franchise. With LaMelo Ball chipping in 27 points and Collin Sexton adding 16, the Hornets actually have a terrifying offense. They can score with anybody. The problem, as always, is stopping the other guys from scoring more.
Miller’s chemistry with the returning Knueppel was palpable. “Brandon’s been great,” Knueppel said. “He’s at his best when he’s aggressive.”
It’s great to see the young core gelling, but watching Miller drop 33 in a losing effort feels like getting the high score on an arcade cabinet that’s unplugged. It looks cool, but it doesn’t count for the standings.
What’s Next for the Hive?
So, the Hornets end the year on a loss. It stings, especially with the homecoming narrative surrounding Curry overshadowing the gritty effort by the home team.
Steve Kerr put it best, admitting the Warriors had to hit an absurd number of threes just to scrape by. “That’s a good young team,” Kerr noted. “They are talented and not an easy team to beat.”
The Hornets are currently sitting in the “spooky” phase of their rebuild—they’re talented enough to scare contenders, but inexperienced enough to lose the close ones.
The good news? The schedule gods are finally showing some mercy. With upcoming games against the struggling Bulls, Pacers, and Jazz, the Hornets have a chance to stack some wins in January. That is, provided they don’t run into any more homecoming legends looking to spoil the party.
For now, Charlotte fans will have to settle for the highlight reels of Curry and the knowledge that their rookie got a shoutout from the GOAT. It’s not a win in the column, but in a developmental season, it’s better than nothing.
