The Charlotte Hornets, led by Miles Bridges and Brandon Miller, emerged victorious with a 110-99 win over the Brooklyn Nets during Saturday’s NBA action, further complicating Brooklyn’s path to the playoffs. Bridges contributed 24 points and 10 rebounds, while Miller added 23 points, helping the Hornets (16-48) break a six-game losing streak.
“We came out with real good energy tonight,” Richards said.
Cam Thomas, returning after a six-game hiatus due to an ankle injury, scored 31 points under a minutes restriction. Despite his effort, the Nets (25-39) now find themselves 4 1/2 games behind the Atlanta Hawks for the Eastern Conference’s final play-in spot, marking their third loss in four games.
“We have to take care of our business and win these last games and hopefully things will turn around and go in our favor,” Thomas said. “But we have to stick to it and keep playing.”
Thomas pinpointed Brooklyn’s defensive struggles, especially in containing Micic and Miller, who easily penetrated for scores.
“It’s effort man, that’s all of it,” Thomas said. “… Giving up straight line drives is hard and it puts a lot of pressure on our defense because then they can just spread it out and make wide-open 3s, catch-and-shoot 3s. We have to take pride in just keeping someone in front of us.”
NBA NEWS & SCORES: Miles Bridges, Brandon Miller, Charlotte Hornets, Brooklyn Nets Updates
Despite Thomas’ strong start, which helped the Nets to a 12-point lead, Charlotte reversed the momentum to secure a 63-52 halftime lead. The Hornets capitalized on Brooklyn’s defensive lapses, with Bridges and Miller leading the charge to establish a significant advantage.
Charlotte maintained their lead into the fourth quarter, a stark contrast to their previous game against Washington. When Brooklyn narrowed the gap to six, Miller’s layup and Bridges’ transition layup with an and-one play sealed the win for the Hornets.
“That’s what I said to the guys: ‘We’re in the same exact place,’” Hornets coach Steve Clifford said. “Against Washington we kind of lost our way in the fourth quarter at both ends. Our offense and defense was awful. Tonight we weren’t great offensively, but our defense was great.”
NBA NEWS & SCORES: Miles Bridges, Brandon Miller, Charlotte Hornets, Brooklyn Nets Updates
The Nets and Hornets both dealt with significant injury concerns, but the return of players like Thomas and Day’Ron Sharpe for Brooklyn provided a glimmer of hope. The Hornets, despite missing six players due to injuries, showed resilience and teamwork to claim the victory.
