The Charlotte Hornets entered Saturday night’s matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves riding a two-game losing streak. With Anthony Edwards sidelined for Minnesota, Charlotte had hoped to snap its skid and get back into the win column. Despite holding a six-point halftime lead, the Hornets fell apart in the second half, suffering another lopsided defeat.
The turning point came in the third quarter, when the Timberwolves outscored the Hornets 36–18. Minnesota continued to roll in the final frame, outscoring Charlotte by five to hand the Hornets a 17-point loss.
Miles Bridges was the lone bright spot for Charlotte, finishing with 30 points, eight rebounds and four assists. LaMelo Ball continued his all-around play, adding 18 points, seven rebounds and eight assists.
Rookie Kon Knueppel, the No. 4 overall pick, endured his toughest outing of the season, shooting just 1-for-9 from the field and 1-for-8 from beyond the arc.
As a team, Charlotte’s shooting struggles proved costly. The Hornets hit only 39.5% of their shots, compared with Minnesota’s 54%. From three-point range, the disparity was even greater — Charlotte shot just 28.9% while the Timberwolves caught fire at 47.2%.
Defensively, Charlotte was also dominated in the paint, where Minnesota outscored them 56–36, a 20-point difference that underscored the physical mismatch inside.
Looking ahead, the Hornets will have a quick turnaround, facing the Utah Jazz on Sunday night. They’ll look to regroup and secure their third win of the season before beginning a road trip.
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