Brandon Miller scored 26 points, Moussa Diabate delivered a dominant 18-point, 20-rebound performance, and the Charlotte Hornets continued their surge by beating the Memphis Grizzlies 112-97 on Wednesday night.
The win pushed Charlotte to 20-28, already surpassing its win total from all of last season after finishing 19-62 a year ago. The Hornets have now won four straight. Miles Bridges added 20 points, LaMelo Ball chipped in 16, and Diabate was highly efficient, shooting 9 of 10 from the field in the first game of a back-to-back.
Miller set the tone early, scoring 14 points in the first quarter as Charlotte raced out to a 36-28 lead. The Hornets briefly led 29-13 late in the opening period and carried a 62-55 advantage into halftime. They maintained control throughout the second half, taking a 75-66 lead into the fourth quarter and pulling away down the stretch.
Jaren Jackson Jr. led Memphis with 26 points, while Cedric Coward added 17. The Grizzlies have dropped four straight and fell to 18-27. Memphis continues to play without star guard Ja Morant, who is expected to miss at least three weeks with a left elbow injury.
Charlotte’s physical play inside, led by Diabate’s work on the glass, helped the Hornets control the tempo and close out another convincing victory.
Up next:
Hornets: At Dallas on Thursday night.
Grizzlies: At New Orleans on Friday night.
