Brandon Miller’s 26-point explosion, including six 3-pointers, fueled Charlotte’s 109-93 victory over Portland as the Hornets secured their fourth consecutive win while inching toward .500.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — In a performance that underscores their playoff ambitions, Brandon Miller’s 26 points and six 3-pointers led the Hornets to a 109-93 victory over the Trail Blazers on Saturday. The win marks Charlotte’s fourth consecutive victory, moving them to within one game of .500 at 30-31.
The Hornets’ Three-Point Revolution
Miller’s shooting barrage was part of a larger trend for the Hornets, who have transformed their offense during this winning streak. Charlotte connected on 16 of their 42 three-point attempts, continuing a historic stretch of perimeter excellence. During their last three games, the Hornets have made 72 threes, tying an NBA record for most in any three-game span. This night alone, Miller made four of his six threes in the second quarter, powering Charlotte to a 51-43 halftime lead.
The Hornets’ newfound shooting confidence has been particularly evident in their backcourt. Coby White contributed 20 points off the bench, while LaMelo Ball added 15 points and eight assists. Ball’s playmaking remains crucial to Charlotte’s offensive flow, while White continues his breakout season as a sixth man. Collectively, Charlotte’s guards have provided the scoring punch that has lifted the Hornets from lottery contention to the fringes of the play-in tournament.
Blazers’ Playoff Hopes Fade Without Avdija
Portland, meanwhile, continued their struggles without injured All-Star Deni Avdija. The Trail Blazers shot just 11 for 47 (23.4%) from three-point range, including missing all ten of their attempts in the first quarter. Jrue Holiday led the Blazers with 25 points, and Jerami Grant added 21, but the absence of Avdija’s versatility and rebounding was clearly felt. Without Avdija, Portland lacks the size and consistency to compete against frontlines like Charlotte’s, where Moussa Diabate posted a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds.
The Blazers cut the deficit to 74–67 entering the fourth quarter but collapsed in the final frame, missing 10 of 12 three-point attempts. Portland remains two games back in the playoff race, a deficit that becomes steeper every game their star forward misses. Since taking over as Portland’s primary perimeter stopper, Holiday has been a bright spot, but without a reliable second option, Portland’s ceiling remains limited.
Diabate’s Breakout Performance Seals the Victory
Moussa Diabate, a former Michigan standout drafted with Charlotte’s 2022 second-round pick, continues to emerge as a key contributor. The versatile forward recorded his third double-double of the season with 13 points, 11 rebounds, and five assists. His aggressive drives to the rim and physical defense helped stifle Portland’s offense in the fourth quarter, a stretch when Charlotte outscored the Blazers 35–26.
Diabate’s play, combined with the perimeter production of Miller and White, highlights the Hornets’ young core growth. Charlotte’s bench, led by White’s 20 points, outscored Portland’s reserves 45–22, a major factor in the game’s final outcome.
Meticulous Attention to Assist Distribution
One of the greatest encouragements for Hornets fans was the constructive balance sheet on assists. LaMelo Ball played the role of conductor, tallying eight assists, while Miller, White, and other key role players contributed to the team’s twenty-four total assists. The shot distribution pattern shows Charlotte sharing the ball well, which is a hallmark of a winning team in the analytics-driven era.
- Brandon Miller: 26 points, 6-12 3PT, 8 rebounds
- Coby White: 20 points, key off-the-bench spark
- LaMelo Ball: 15 points, 8 assists, 5 rebounds
- Moussa Diabate: 13 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assists
Chronologically, the fourth-period surge saw the Hornets go into the frame leading by seven, but they fired off an effervescent 17–5 burst that effectively crushed Portland’s snipe. During that pivotal stretch, Miller splashed in two back-to-back treys, with Diabate adding a thunderous fast-break dunk that fired up the home crowd and tilted the game decisively.
Up Next: The Road Forward
With Thursday’s identification of Diabate as the squad’s “sixth starter,” as quoted by Hornets radio commentator username, the squad’s rotation pattern is contractually sealed into the following schedule:
- Sunday: Trail Blazers at Atlanta Hawks
- Tuesday: Mavericks at Hornets
The Mavericks come immediately after a Duke–Charlotte mini-gateway, guaranteeing an Audubon court reopening drama akin to a battle of “southern sires” titans led by Lukazilla and Ball World.
Miller’s ascending star status, meantime, begs comparison with past examples. Per historical comparisons, the Mannequin sequence of Year-2 SEC Classic champions at Charlotte includes only Miller and Cody Martin’s mythical Year-3 2019 playoff push. That context—paired with tangible eye-popping stats—positions the Hornets as the most dynamic 50-percent push team in the NBA today.
For fans hungry for deeper game brilliance, it’s worth mini-mental imaging the Hornets’ analytics split versus Portland’s fourth-period 3-point collapse. According to NBA advanced shot data official stats page, Portland’s 23.4% clip was well below their league baseline, illustrating a defensive scheme that Hornets coach Steve Clifford installed with remarkable effectiveness.
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