Charlotte Hornets Continue Strong Play With Win Over San Antonio Spurs
On a Saturday where a rare six-inch snowstorm paralyzed the city and forced an early tip-off, the Charlotte Hornets defied both the elements and their own history. Despite blowing a comfortable 17-point lead and enduring a chaotic final minute that would make a high school coach pull his hair out, Charlotte held on. Behind 26 points from Brandon Miller and an unconscious shooting night from Collin Sexton, the Hornets outlasted the San Antonio Spurs 111-106, pushing their winning streak to six games.
You have to go all the way back to March 2016 to find the last time this franchise reeled off that many W’s in a row. That’s a long time in NBA years, but this current group is starting to feel different, and Saturday proved they can win ugly when they have to.
Miller and Sexton Ignite the Offense
The first half was a masterclass in offensive efficiency, specifically from Miller. He torched the Spurs for 16 points in the first two quarters, including three triples that had the Spectrum Center buzzing. The Hornets used a massive 35-17 second quarter to carry a 61-47 lead into the break, looking like they were going to run San Antonio out of the gym.
But the real spark plug came off the bench. Sexton was nothing short of perfect from deep, knocking down all five of his 3-point attempts on his way to 21 points. When the offense bogged down in the half-court, Sexton was the bail-out option, hitting demoralizing shots just when the Spurs thought they had a stop.
LaMelo Ball didn’t have his loudest scoring night, putting up 16 points, but he orchestrated the floor with 8 rebounds and 8 assists, keeping the engine running while Miller and Sexton cooked.
Containing the Wembanyama problem
Defensively, the Hornets deserve a game ball for how they handled Victor Wembanyama. You don’t exactly “stop” a 7-foot-4 alien who moves like a guard, but you can make his life miserable. Charlotte held the phenomenon to just 16 points on 6-of-15 shooting.
For most of the first half, Wemby was a non-factor, tallying just 4 points. While Dylan Harper picked up the slack for San Antonio with 20 points, keeping Wembanyama from taking over the game was the key to Charlotte building their cushion.
A Chaotic Finish Tests Charlotte’s Nerves
It wouldn’t be an NBA game without a little drama, right? That 17-point third-quarter lead evaporated quicker than the snow outside. Harrison Barnes started heating up with back-to-back threes, and suddenly, the Spurs were knocking on the door. When the Spurs turned a Sexton turnover into a De’Aaron Fox layup, the lead was trimmed to just two with under five minutes to go. In previous seasons, this is exactly where the Hornets would have cracked.
The final minute was a bizarre sequence of events. With 36 seconds left and Charlotte up three, Miller appeared to be fouled on a 3-point attempt. But the officials reviewed it, overturned the call, and forced a jump ball.
Naturally, Wembanyama won the tip, but what happened next was baffling. Wembanyama rushed a contested three that clanked off the iron. The Hornets grabbed the board, and the Spurs just watched?
San Antonio inexplicably let 15 seconds bleed off the clock before finally fouling Miller. It was a gift, and Miller didn’t return it. He calmly sank both free throws with 10.6 seconds left to put the game on ice.
What This Streak Means For the Hornets
This wasn’t just another win in January. It was a statement of resilience. Kon Knueppel, coming off that career-best 34-point explosion against Dallas, came back down to Earth with 13 points. But that’s the beauty of a streak like this. On a night where the hot hand cools off, someone else steps up.
The Hornets are finding ways to win, whether it’s a blowout or a grind-it-out slugfest. For a fanbase that braved a snowstorm to get to the arena, seeing their team extend a winning streak to levels not seen in nearly a decade was worth the slippery drive home.
