The city of Charlotte needed a spark after the Panthers missed another opportunity to secure a playoff berth and win the NFC South, so it’s no surprise that the Charlotte Hornets delivered. After a sluggish start, the Hornets made a strong comeback, dominating the Bulls for the last three quarters of the game. Despite being down all three centers on standard NBA contracts and having Tidjane Salaun as an emergency fill-in center, Charlotte played with nine players who were 6’8″ or shorter.

However, as the saying goes, it’s not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog. Despite the significant size disadvantage, Charlotte managed to win the rebounding battle 52-43 and nearly matched Chicago’s scoring production in the paint (46-52). Considering the circumstances, it was an impressive performance on the second night of a back-to-back, and every player wearing the Hornets’ jersey deserves recognition.

Below is a collection of thoughts, stats, and highlights from the game, neatly packaged as the four-point play.

1. Highlight of the Game

This game felt more like a street fight than a headline title bout in Vegas, with few flashy highlights to choose from. In that spirit, we’ll highlight a defensive possession from the third quarter, which exemplifies how the Hornets pulled off a victory in Chicago.

The connectivity of the switches, the physicality on the perimeter, the pass deflections, and the overall effort shown on this play represent everything that defines ‘Hornets DNA.’ Despite the size deficit, Charlotte wasn’t going down without a fight, and their win was driven by this level of intensity on defense.

2. Game-Defining Statistics

• Chicago’s 15.4% offensive rebounding percentage
• Chicago’s 11.6 free throw rate

To put these numbers into context, the Bulls’ OREB percentage was in the 4th percentile of all NBA games this season, and their free throw rate was in the 7th percentile. By those numbers alone, one might think that Chicago was playing without its top four center options.

The Hornets were a well-oiled machine on defense after a second-quarter adjustment. Charles Lee’s team struggled with the Bulls’ fast-paced attack and relentless pressure on the paint during the first twelve minutes of the game. However, once the Hornets caught their breath, Chicago had no answers.

Charlotte varied their defensive coverages, using drop coverage in pick-and-roll situations, switching heavily on the perimeter, and even dropping into zone at times. This strategy forced Chicago’s offense to play late into the shot clock. The Bulls had the league’s seventh-highest frequency of transition possessions coming into the game, but the Hornets held them below their per-game average tonight.

3. Players of the Game

• Miles Bridges – 26 points, 14 rebounds, 1 steal, 11/18 shooting
• Brandon Miller – 22 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 8/19 shooting
• LaMelo Ball – 17 points, 6 rebounds, 7 assists, 7/15 shooting

Bridges was outstanding in this game. Forced to play most of the contest as a (super) small-ball center, he looked comfortable on both ends. He held his own as the primary defender against Nikola Vucevic and used his physicality to dominate Chicago’s guards when the Hornets switched on defense.

On offense, Bridges took what was given to him and rarely forced shots out of the flow of the Hornets’ offense. Miller got hot late in the third quarter and continued his momentum into the fourth. His shooting opened up space for him to operate as a playmaker, and the Hornets benefited from his gravity down the stretch. Miller was also impactful on defense, stopping Chicago’s quick ball movement with multiple efforts and deflections across his 36 minutes of action.

LaMelo Ball was the ultimate conductor. He started the game focused on facilitating, dishing passes to open teammates. He eventually became a shooter, bending the Bulls’ defense to his will by hitting jumpers that caught Chicago’s defenders off guard. Most importantly, Ball continued to make winning plays on the glass and on defense, showing the engagement of a two-way player.

4. Takeaways from the Win

1. Charlotte valued the basketball
   
   Turnovers have been a problem for Charlotte throughout the season, but they avoided their usual mistakes tonight. The Hornets only turned the ball over 11 times, which kept the Bulls out of the open floor.

2. Collin Sexton is as fun as he is maddening
   
   Sexton’s performance is a roller coaster. He’s a talented shot-maker who excels when he can get downhill and touch the paint. However, when he does, he often suffers from tunnel vision and fails to make plays for his teammates, opting for contested two-point shots instead of kick-outs.

When Sexton is right, though, he’s a delight. He’s a pest in the best way, evidenced by a possession where he drew a loose ball foul on Nikola Vucevic. The Hornets value Sexton’s offense at times, as his veteran savvy helps cut through stagnant possessions. His name is likely to come up in trade rumors, and both sides of the argument make sense.

1. Charlotte is red hot from deep
   
   LaMelo Ball hit the Hornets’ 15th three-pointer of the game late in the fourth quarter, causing a reaction from Eric Collins. Collins noted that Ball’s corner three-pointer made tonight’s game the seventh in a row that the Hornets have made at least 15 three-pointers, a franchise record. It’s no coincidence that Ball, Brandon Miller, and Kon Knueppel have played in the majority of those games, as Charlotte’s offense is among the best when those three are on the court.

2. Kon Knueppel’s winning impact
   
   Knueppel had a tough shooting night, making only four of his 14 field goal attempts and two of his six three-point attempts. However, the mark of a great player is the ability to impact the game even when their shot isn’t falling. Knueppel did just that by getting to the line nine times and making eight free throws, both career-highs.