Hornets Erase 19-Point Deficit to Stun Trail Blazers 103-101 in Portland
Down 19. On the road. In a building where they’d won just once in nearly two decades.
The Charlotte Hornets didn’t flinch.
Behind a gutsy second-half performance, clutch free throws, and a vintage LaMelo Ball fourth quarter, the Hornets rallied from a 43-24 second-quarter hole to beat the Portland Trail Blazers 103-101 on Tuesday night at Moda Center. The win snapped a two-game losing streak and pushed Charlotte back to the .500 mark at 33-33.
It wasn’t pretty. It wasn’t comfortable. But it was a win, and right now, that’s exactly what this team needed.
Hornets Survive a Nightmare Start
Portland came out swinging. The Trail Blazers dominated the first quarter 34-20, with Jerami Grant and Deni Avdija carving through Charlotte’s defense like it wasn’t there. Grant finished with 24 points on an efficient 7-of-10 from the field. Avdija, returning from a six-game absence due to a back injury, looked anything but rusty — posting 22 points and seven assists.
But the Hornets stopped the bleeding in the second quarter, outscoring Portland 26-21 and heading into halftime down nine. Something had shifted. You could feel it.
Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel Lead the Charge
The wing finished with 23 points, nine rebounds, and four assists, delivering buckets when Charlotte desperately needed them. He wasn’t explosive every possession — he was methodical, relentless, and physically present on both ends of the floor.
Kon Knueppel quietly put together one of his best performances of the season. The rookie dropped 15 points on 4-of-8 shooting from three, including back-to-back triples in the second quarter that started to tilt the momentum Charlotte’s way. No fanfare, no theatrics — just steady, composed basketball from a young player who keeps proving he belongs.
Ryan Kalkbrenner came off the bench and delivered 13 points and six rebounds in just 17 minutes. His energy around the paint, two tip dunks, and relentless motor gave Charlotte exactly the spark it needed.
LaMelo Ball Ices It in the Fourth
When the game got tight, LaMelo Ball stepped up. He finished with 14 points, but 12 of them came in the fourth quarter — including back-to-back pull-up threes that gave the Hornets breathing room when Portland kept threatening to steal it back.
That’s the version of LaMelo that makes Charlotte dangerous. The one who reads the moment, trusts his instincts, and simply takes over.
Hornets Defense Suffocates Portland Down the Stretch
The Hornets held the Trail Blazers to just 19 fourth-quarter points. That kind of defensive resolve, especially on the road, doesn’t happen by accident.
Portland’s offense — which looked unstoppable in the first quarter — turned sloppy late. Toumani Camara threw the ball out of bounds, trying to inbound it. Jerami Grant committed a charge with 12 seconds left, killing any chance of a game-tying possession. Scoot Henderson hit a meaningless three at the buzzer to make the final score 103-101, but the game was already over.
The Hornets won this on grit, not glamour.
What This Win Means for the Hornets
Charlotte has now beaten Portland twice this season, sweeping the season series 2-0. More importantly, the Hornets are back at .500 for the first time in weeks, sitting at 33-33 in the Southeast Division — four games behind Miami for the division lead.
This is a team that was 43-24 down and chose not to quit. That resilience matters. Especially heading into Thursday’s matchup against the Los Angeles Clippers.
For the Hornets, this wasn’t just a regular-season road win. This was a statement.
