The Charlotte Hornets secured a gritty 120-116 preseason victory over the Dallas Mavericks on October 11, 2025, at American Airlines Center in Dallas, TX, in a game marked by seven lead changes, six ties, and a frantic late comeback attempt by Dallas. Attendance was a modest 1,841, reflecting the preseason vibe, but the action was intense, with Charlotte building a lead as large as 17 points before fending off a Mavericks rally. The Hornets improved to 1-2 in preseason, while Dallas fell to 1-1. LaMelo Ball was the standout, earning Player of the Night honors for his efficient scoring and playmaking in a seamless return from injury.
* **First Quarter (CHA 34-31 DAL)**: Charlotte jumped out aggressively, raining threes and exploiting Dallas’ sluggish start to build a 17-point lead. The Mavericks clawed back late, sparked by Naji Marshall’s free throws and a three from Max Christie, closing with a PJ Washington buzzer-beater to trail by just three.
* **Second Quarter (DAL 28-27, Halftime: CHA 61-59)**: Rookie Cooper Flagg electrified the crowd early with a three, a thunderous dunk, and a pull-up jumper over Ball, giving Dallas a brief four-point edge. The teams traded blows, but Klay Thompson’s buzzer-beating three kept it close for the Mavs heading into the break.
* **Third Quarter (CHA 34-29, Score: CHA 95-88)**: Dallas’ defense faltered, looking “groggy” as Charlotte attacked relentlessly, extending the lead to 15 after a controversial flagrant foul on Anthony Davis (who was resting) on Brandon Miller. PJ Washington and Marshall fueled a partial rally, but the Hornets closed strong.
* **Fourth Quarter (DAL 28-25, Final: CHA 120-116)**: Mostly a bench battle, with Dallas trailing by 17 midway through. A scrappy end-of-bench surge from training camp invitees cut it to seven with three minutes left, but Charlotte held firm, showcasing superior three-point volume (39 attempts vs. Dallas’ 27).
Charlotte shot efficiently from deep (16-39, 41.0%) to offset Dallas’ interior dominance (64-54 points in the paint). The Mavs excelled in fast breaks (38-10), bench scoring (62-39), and points off turnovers (41-20, forcing 25 CHA miscues), but faltered on the boards (37-54 REB) and second-chance points (-10). Full team totals: Team PTS FG% 3PT% REB AST STL BLK TO PF CHA 120 48.9% (45-92) 41.0% (16-39) 54 (15 OREB) 25 4 2 25 18 DAL 116 51.1% (46-90) 37.0% (10-27) 37 (5 OREB) 30 16 7 14 18
**Charlotte Hornets** (Top 5 Scorers):
* **LaMelo Ball (PG)**: 20 PTS (8-13 FG, 4-8 3PT), 6 AST, 3 REB, +27; His crafty drives, vision, and a dagger three in the fourth highlighted his “vintage” flair, commanding the offense in 23 minutes.
* **Miles Bridges (SF)**: 20 PTS (7-18 FG, 4-8 3PT), 11 REB (2 OREB), 2 AST, +20; Dominant on the glass and from deep, anchoring Charlotte’s rebounding edge.
* **Tre Mann (SG)**: 14 PTS (7-7 FG, perfect efficiency), 10 REB (4 OREB), 1 AST, +24; A rebounding machine who went a flawless 7-for-7 from the field.
* **Vasileios Charalampopoulos**: 12 PTS (off bench), 3 REB, 1 AST, +21 (inferred from stats).
* **Mark Williams (C)**: 12 PTS (2-7 FG, 2-5 3PT? Wait, likely the 12 PTS starter), 4 REB, 3 AST, +21.
Bench contributions were key, with 39 points total, though turnovers (25 team-wide) were a concern.
**Dallas Mavericks** (Top 5 Scorers):
* **Klay Thompson (SG)**: 14 PTS (5-11 FG, 4-7 3PT), 1 REB, +2 (inferred starter); Clutch halftime three and steady shooting, but missed key looks late.
* **Cooper Flagg (Rookie SF)**: 12 PTS (6-12 FG), 4 REB, 1 AST, -24; Flashed elite potential with athletic dunks and defense over Ball, but turnovers hampered him.
* **AJ Dybantsa (Rookie)**: 13 PTS (5-8 FG off bench), 3 AST, 3 STL, +5; Versatile scoring and steals from the bench.
* **Naji Marshall (SF)**: 11 PTS (4-8 FG), 4 REB, 4 AST, +2; Sparked early rallies with energy.
* **Dereck Lively II (C)**: 10 PTS (5-6 FG), 6 REB, 3 AST, 2 BLK, +2; Solid fundamentals, including Eurosteps and rim protection.
Dallas’ bench erupted for 62 points, with standouts like Dwight Powell (9 PTS, 4-4 FG) and Olivier-Maxence Prosper (9 PTS).
From Dallas’ view, the loss exposed rebounding woes despite their size advantage—losing 64-45 on the glass was “unacceptable” for a defense-first roster. Positives included the Duke trio (Flagg, Lively, Kon Knueppel) injecting pace and fun, with Flagg’s generational flashes (dunk over Ball) drawing hype. Charlotte’s three-point barrage and Ball’s poise post-injury were the difference, though 25 turnovers signal areas for cleanup. Full highlights on NBA.com feature Ball’s no-look passes, Flagg’s poster, and Thompson’s deep bombs— a teaser for both teams’ potential in the 2025-26 season.
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