North Charlotte Today

The Charlotte Hornets faced a challenging home opener at the Spectrum Center on Saturday night, falling to the Miami Heat with a final score of 114-106. Despite missing three starters, the Hornets managed to keep the game competitive until the end.

LaMelo Ball was a standout performer for Charlotte, scoring 27 points, including eight in the fourth quarter. He also contributed eight rebounds and seven assists over 36 minutes. This performance placed him alongside Kemba Walker as one of only two players in franchise history to start a season with three consecutive games scoring at least 25 points. Miles Bridges added 16 points, while Nick Richards achieved his second consecutive double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds.

The game remained close after the first quarter, tied at 23. However, Miami pulled ahead by winning the next two quarters by a combined score of 60-49. The Hornets attempted to rally in the fourth quarter but could not overcome key three-pointers from Miami's Jimmy Butler and Tyler Herro.

Miami's defense proved formidable throughout the game, using its size and length to disrupt Charlotte's plays and secure crucial takeaways. The Heat collected 20 turnovers that resulted in 24 points.

Charlotte struggled with their three-point shooting against Miami, making only 13 out of 41 attempts (31.7%). Despite this challenge, they found success on offensive rebounds, converting them into additional scoring opportunities.

Hornets Head Coach Charles Lee expressed optimism postgame: “Guys didn’t make any excuses for anything, and they just wanted to ball. They love competing... We’ll continue to study and learn and grow.”

Looking ahead, Charlotte will face off against the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday after a few days' rest. Toronto has had recent success against Charlotte, holding an edge in their all-time series meetings.