TITLE: Hornets stun league-leading Thunder with 27-point rout in Oklahoma City
SLUG: hornets-crush-thunder-worst-loss-of-season
CONTENT:
OKLAHOMA CITY — Brandon Miller poured in 28 points and the Charlotte Hornets shocked the NBA-best Oklahoma City Thunder 124-97 on Monday night, delivering the defending champions their heaviest defeat of the season.
Miller hit 11 of 18 shots and Kon Knueppel added 23 points as Charlotte (now 14-24) snapped a stretch of three losses in four games. The victory marked the first time this season that Oklahoma City (30-7) failed to reach 100 points.
Rare stumble for the Thunder
The Thunder, 15.5-point favorites according to DraftKings Sportsbook, became the first team in 35 seasons to lose by 20 or more while favored by at least 15. Before Monday, the largest defeat in that situation was 17 points.
It was also Oklahoma City’s first loss to a sub-.500 opponent since Nov. 19, 2024, ending a 45-game winning streak against teams with losing records. Over the past two seasons, the Thunder are 50-3 versus those clubs.
Gilgeous-Alexander’s streak continues, but efficiency dips
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 21 points, extending his run of 20-plus games to 108 — the second-longest in NBA history. He shot just 7-for-21 (33%), his poorest percentage of the season, and remained on the bench for the fourth quarter with the game out of reach. The All-NBA guard has now posted back-to-back games below 40% from the field for the first time since a five-game stretch in 2021-22.
Hornets seize control early
Charlotte raced to a 21-9 start, but Oklahoma City, sparked by 10 first-quarter points from reserve guard Ajay Mitchell, leveled the score at 33 by period’s end. The Hornets responded with a 34-17 second quarter to take a 67-50 halftime edge; Miller had 19 points at the break. The Thunder hurt themselves by converting only 8 of 15 free throws in the half, while Gilgeous-Alexander managed nine points on 3-for-12 shooting.
Early in the third, LaMelo Ball grabbed a loose ball headed out of bounds and launched a one-legged jumper from the corner — foot on the three-point line — pushing the margin to 74-55. Miller capped the quarter with a buzzer-beating three that stretched the lead to 99-71, and Charlotte cruised the rest of the way.
The defeat was Oklahoma City’s second in a row and just its second at Paycom Center this season. The Thunder, who opened the year 24-1, remain atop the league standings despite the stumble.
Source: ESPN
