Hornets Gut Out a Gritty 117-109 Win Over the Kings Behind a Vintage LaMelo Ball Performance
The Charlotte Hornets came into Golden 1 Center on Wednesday night with something to prove. And prove it they did.
LaMelo Ball dropped 30 points — 20 of them in the first half alone — as the Hornets held off a feisty Sacramento Kings squad 117-109. The win moves Charlotte to 34-33 on the season and keeps their playoff push alive in the Eastern Conference.
This wasn’t pretty. It was physical, back-and-forth, and there were plenty of moments where it looked like the Hornets might let it slip away. But that’s what good teams do — they find a way.
LaMelo Ball Was the Story
Let’s start with the obvious. When the Hornets needed a bucket, when the crowd at Golden 1 was getting loud, and Sacramento was sniffing a comeback, LaMelo Ball reminded everyone exactly who he is.
He shot 10-of-22 from the field, knocked down six 3-pointers, and finished with six rebounds and five assists. When the Kings cut the lead to 108-100 with three minutes left, Ball stepped back and buried his sixth triple of the night — a dagger that essentially ended Sacramento’s hopes.
That’s the version of LaMelo that makes Hornets fans believe this team can do something special.
Miles Bridges and Kon Knueppel Gave Charlotte a Complete Effort
Ball didn’t do it alone. Not even close.
Miles Bridges was relentless all night, finishing with 26 points on a hyper-efficient 11-of-15 from the floor. He set the tone in the first half with six 3-pointers alongside Ball, and was everywhere when it mattered — including a mid-range floater late in the fourth that pushed the lead back to double digits and snuffed out Sacramento’s momentum.
Then there’s Kon Knueppel. The standout rookie continues to look every bit like a future cornerstone for this franchise. He finished with 24 points, 7 rebounds, and shot 5-of-8 from three. Cool, composed, and utterly reliable — the kid doesn’t flinch.
Brandon Miller added 20 points of his own, making it four Hornets in double figures. When this team is clicking like this, they’re genuinely dangerous.
Charlotte trailed 62-57 at halftime. Things felt sloppy. Uncertain.
And then the second half happened.
The Hornets outscored Sacramento 31-23 in the third quarter, slowly but surely strangling the life out of the Kings’ offense. A Bridges alley-oop pass to Miller at the 1:21 mark gave Charlotte an 88-83 lead. Then Coby White’s three-point play early in the fourth stretched it to 99-88. Game, set, match — or so it felt.
Sacramento kept swinging. DeMar DeRozan — more on him in a moment — kept willing his team back. But the Hornets had enough answers down the stretch.
DeMar DeRozan Made History in a Losing Effort
In a different world, Wednesday night belonged to DeMar DeRozan. He poured in 39 points on 17-of-22 shooting and, in the process, passed Hall of Famer Tim Duncan to move into 18th place on the NBA’s all-time scoring list with 26,505 career points.
Let that sink in. Passing Tim Duncan. Fifteen-time All-Star. Four rings. Among the greatest power forwards to ever play the game. And DeRozan quietly glided past him on a Wednesday night in March.
The basketball community owes him more acknowledgment than he typically receives. But on this particular night, the Hornets wouldn’t let his brilliance be enough.
What This Win Means for the Hornets
This victory matters — a lot.
Charlotte started this season 4-14. They were 16-28 in mid-January. Now they’re 34-33. It happens because a team finds its identity, its rhythm, and its will.
The Hornets now sit 3.5 games behind Atlanta for third in the Southeast Division. They’re closer to sixth-place Miami — which currently holds the last automatic playoff spot — than they are to the 11th-place Milwaukee Bucks.
Everything is still in play.
Up next for the Hornets: a date with the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday. After a win like this, don’t expect them to come in flat.
