Hornets Dominate, End Long Skid Versus Philly
The Charlotte Hornets delivered one of their most convincing wins of the season on Monday afternoon, rolling past the Philadelphia 76ers 130–93 at Spectrum Center. The game was moved up to a 3 p.m. EST tip from its original 7 p.m. start due to winter weather impacting the Carolinas and much of the country. Despite the unusual timing, Charlotte looked comfortable and energized from the opening tip. The win snapped an 11-game losing streak against Philadelphia and marked the Hornets’ first victory in the matchup since November of 2022.
Charlotte came out strong in the first quarter, setting the tone with a 28–22 advantage. While the score stayed relatively close, the Hornets clearly looked like the sharper and more aggressive team early on. Moussa Diabaté made an immediate impact, scoring six points on a pair of powerful finishes and an unexpected long two-pointer. His energy around the rim helped spark the Hornets on both ends of the floor. The ball movement and defensive activity also stood out as Charlotte settled into the game.
The second quarter is where the Hornets completely took control. Charlotte outscored Philadelphia 41–22, blowing the game wide open with a relentless offensive attack. A 10–0 run followed by an even more dominant 16–0 stretch left the 76ers scrambling to find answers. Diabate continued his efficient play, finishing the first half with 10 points, knocking down each of his five shots. By halftime, the Hornets had built a commanding 69–44 lead and fully seized momentum.
Any hopes of a Philadelphia comeback disappeared almost immediately after the break. Brandon Miller opened the third quarter by knocking down three consecutive three-pointers, forcing an early timeout and igniting the Spectrum Center crowd. Miller was unstoppable throughout the period, scoring 19 of his 30 points in the third quarter alone. His confidence and shot-making turned the game into a showcase performance. By the end of the quarter, the outcome was all but decided.
Philadelphia struggled mightily on offense, particularly in the first half. With Joel Embiid and Paul George sidelined, Tyrese Maxey was limited to just two points before halftime, marking his lowest-scoring half of the season. The 76ers shot just over 32% from the field and 21% from three in the opening half. That poor shooting performance was their worst of the season and made it nearly impossible to keep pace. Charlotte’s defensive pressure played a major role in forcing tough looks throughout the game.
The Hornets also dominated the physical side of the contest, especially in the paint and on the glass. Charlotte finished with a season-high 11 dunks, five of which came from Ryan Kalkbrenner off the bench. The Hornets out-rebounded Philadelphia 53–34 overall, including a massive 39–22 edge on the defensive glass. That rebounding advantage consistently led to second-chance opportunities and transition offense. It was a clear display of effort and physicality from start to finish.
Philadelphia’s backcourt was never able to get anything going in this game as Maxey and VJ Edgecombe only combined for 15 points, sinking just five of 23 shots from the field. Kelly Oubre Jr. led Philadelphia with 17 points in his return to Charlotte, providing one of the few bright spots for the 76ers. Jared McCain added 16 points off the bench, while Quentin Grimes chipped in 14. No other Philadelphia player reached double figures, highlighting the team’s overall offensive struggles. Charlotte, meanwhile, showcased impressive balance with eight players scoring in double figures. Brandon Miller led the way with 30 points, but outside of his incredible game, it was a very balanced scoring effort for Charlotte as Diabate, LaMelo Ball, Kon Knueppel, Josh Green, Miles Bridges, Collin Sexton, and Kalkbrenner all finished in double figures as well.
Charlotte finished the afternoon shooting an efficient 55% from the field and 40% from three-point range. The Hornets also racked up 34 assists, further emphasizing their unselfish ball movement. Their largest lead was 50 points, an eye-opening margin that reflected the dominance on display. The win improved Charlotte’s record to 19–28, keeping them in 12th place in the Eastern Conference as they travel to Memphis to face the Grizzlies Wednesday night. Philadelphia fell to 24–20 and will return home to face the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday night.
The victory marked Charlotte’s third straight win, the first time the Hornets have put together such a streak this season. It also continued an intriguing trend, as the Hornets have now recorded blowout wins this month against Philadelphia, Denver, the Los Angeles Lakers, and Oklahoma City. While injuries to Embiid and George certainly impacted the 76ers, Charlotte still took full advantage with disciplined, connected basketball. The Hornets now sit just outside the play-in picture, knocking on the door of the 11th seed. With the trade deadline less than two weeks away, it will be fascinating to see whether Charlotte makes any moves to build on this momentum.
