North Charlotte Today

The Charlotte Hornets began their NBA season with a comeback victory against the Houston Rockets, winning 110-105. This marks their fourth consecutive Opening Night win, currently the best streak in the league.

LaMelo Ball was a standout performer for the Hornets, scoring 34 points on 10-of-20 shooting and achieving eight rebounds and 11 assists. Tre Mann contributed significantly from the bench with 24 points, nine of which came in the final quarter. Ball's performance makes him the first Hornet to achieve a season-opening 30-point, 10-assist double-double and only the eleventh player in NBA history to record such numbers on Opening Night.

Charles Lee, who was hired as head coach by the Hornets in May, secured his first win leading the team. The victory ended a three-game losing streak against Houston and extended the Rockets' losing streak in season openers to seven games.

Despite trailing by 18 points at one stage and missing three starters—Mark Williams, Josh Green, and Brandon Miller—the Hornets managed to turn things around. They capitalized on second-chance opportunities by converting nine offensive rebounds into a significant advantage of 19-2 in second-chance points during the last two quarters.

Grant Williams redeemed himself after being penalized for a foul and illegal screen that allowed Jalen Green to score five points for Houston. Williams then scored a crucial step-back three-pointer and forced an important turnover from Alperen Şengün.

Head Coach Charles Lee expressed his excitement about starting this new chapter with a win: “[This first win] means a lot to me, but more so, I’m just really excited for our organization. It’s a little bit of a new era, a new chapter and it’s about the players and the staff around me.”

The Hornets are set to continue their road trip with a game against Atlanta on Friday, Oct. 25 at State Farm Arena. They have been successful against Atlanta recently, holding a 6-2 record since the start of the 2022-23 season.