Brandon Miller scored 28 factors because the Charlotte Hornets shocked NBA leaders Oklahoma City Thunder with a 124-97 win on Monday night time.
Kon Knueppel added 23 factors for Charlotte, who had misplaced three of their earlier 4 video games earlier than handing Oklahoma Metropolis its heaviest defeat of the season.
The Thunder completed with a season-low factors complete and failed to attain 100 factors for the primary time within the 2025-26 marketing campaign.
It was additionally Oklahoma Metropolis’s first loss to a group that entered the sport with a dropping file since November 19, 2024. The Thunder had received 45 straight video games towards groups beneath .500 and have been 50-2 in these matchups over the earlier two seasons.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 21 factors to increase his streak to 108 consecutive video games with at the very least 20 factors, the second-longest run in NBA historical past.
Nonetheless, he made simply seven of 21 pictures from the sphere, his lowest capturing share of the season.
Whereas he typically sits out fourth quarters as a result of the Thunder are main comfortably, he didn’t play within the remaining interval this time as a result of Oklahoma Metropolis trailed closely.
Gilgeous-Alexander has now shot beneath 40% from the sphere in consecutive video games for the primary time because the 2021-22 season.
The defeat marked Oklahoma Metropolis’s second straight loss and solely their second residence defeat of the season. The defending champions started the marketing campaign 24-1 however have now slipped to 30-7.
Charlotte raced right into a 21-9 lead earlier than Oklahoma Metropolis recovered to tie the sport at 33 by the tip of the primary quarter, helped by 10 factors from Ajay Mitchell off the bench.
The Hornets regained management within the second quarter and led 67-50 at half-time, with Miller scoring 19 factors earlier than the break.
Oklahoma Metropolis struggled on the free-throw line, making simply eight of 15 makes an attempt within the first half, whereas Gilgeous-Alexander was restricted to 9 factors on three-of-12 capturing.
Early within the third quarter, LaMelo Ball produced a spotlight second by saving the ball from going out of bounds earlier than hitting a tough shot from the nook to stretch Charlotte’s result in 74-55.
Miller’s three-pointer on the buzzer prolonged the Hornets’ benefit to 99-71 on the finish of the third quarter, and Charlotte remained in management for the rest of the sport.
