The Charlotte Hornets took care of business on opening night, defeating the Brooklyn Nets in blowout fashion, 136-117. In the first game of the season, Charlotte looked very cohesive as a team and spread the ball around for a great offensive night. Brandon Miller led the way for the Hornets, scoring 25 points. LaMelo Ball added 20 as well, while Miles Bridges added 18 points and 11 rebounds.
The Key Factors Behind Hornets Dominant Season Opener
Unselfish basketball was the name of the game for the Hornets, as nine of ten players scored in double figures. Charlotte also shared the wealth for 33 assists. Though this was just one game, Charlotte ranked 26th in team assists per game last season, averaging 24.3. Rookie guard and No. 4 overall pick Kon Knueppel was one of the beneficiaries, scoring 11 points in his Hornets debut. He showed promise shooting the ball from outside, finishing 3-for-4 from three point range.
“It was kind of like a potluck tonight. Everybody was eating.” Knueppel said postgame. “Everybody’s playing unselfishly. I mean, how many guys do we have in double figures… 9? That’s fun basketball, and that’s how it’s supposed to be played. So, hopefully we can keep that going.”
Rookie Production
Knueppel wasn’t the only Hornet to produce however, as Ryan Kalkbrenner also had an exceptional debut. Having traded away both Jusuf Nurkic and Mark Williams in the offseason, plenty of questions surrounded Charlotte’s frontcourt depth. In fact, many analysts and fans expected Kalkbrenner to come off the bench as the second string center, but that was not the case.
Shockingly, Kalkbrenner started and posted his first career double-double. He finished the game with 10 points on 5-for-6 shooting and 11 rebounds, five of which were on the offensive glass. He showed his defensive promise as well, registering two blocks. Rookie Sion James also played 17 minutes, stuffing the stat sheet. Although James wasn’t the primary option when on the floor, he posted a productive two points, four rebounds and two assists.
A Boost to Begin the New Season
Although they faced a mediocre opponent, Charlotte got off to a hot start to the 2025-26 season. In the first half, the Hornets scored 77 points, seven shy of an all-time record. At the half, they shot over 53.3% from three and finished the night at 47.2%. Their 136 points were two shy of a top-10 scoring performance in franchise history.
Charlotte also controlled the glass, outrebounding the Nets 50-38. As mentioned, Kalkbrenner and Bridges recorded 11 rebounds each and Moussa Diabate added nine off the bench. Points in the paint reflected this as well, outscoring Brooklyn 60-46. Lastly, Charlotte did a great job controlling the break, on both offense and defense. They scored 23 fast break points and allowed just five to the Nets, an incredibly low total.
The Last Word
While Charlotte had their struggles on opening night, it was largely a positive performance. Although Brooklyn is unlikely to be a contender, a great start for Charlotte is all that matters. With head coach Charles Lee supplementing rookies into the rotation, the Hornets appear to have a bright future ahead. They’ll look to ride their early season momentum into another victory as they travel to Philadelphia to face the 76ers on Saturday.
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