Hornets' early surge and second-half dominance crushed the Grizzlies' comeback hopes, extending Memphis' losing streak to four.
The Memphis Grizzlies spent Wednesday night trying to recover from an opening punch they never fully absorbed.
After falling behind by as many as 16 points in the first quarter, the Grizzlies mounted a spirited response but couldn’t sustain it, dropping a 112-97 decision to the Charlotte Hornets at FedExForum. The loss pushed Memphis to 18-27 and extended its skid to four games.
Charlotte set the tone almost immediately, attacking early and often to seize control of the game. Memphis struggled to match the Hornets’ pace in the opening minutes and trailed 36-28 after one quarter, with the deficit briefly stretching to 16 before the Grizzlies settled in.
That stabilization came behind Jaren Jackson Jr., who delivered one of his most dominant halves of the season. Jackson poured in 22 points before halftime, scoring from the post, in transition, and off quick face-ups to spark a second-quarter rally. Memphis erased the deficit entirely and even grabbed a short-lived lead before Charlotte reinserted its starters and closed the half on top, 62-55.
The second half told a different story. Charlotte tightened defensively and leaned into its physical edge, particularly on the glass, to slowly widen the gap. Memphis had difficulty generating clean looks as the Hornets strung together stops and turned rebounds into efficient offense. The Grizzlies never reclaimed the lead after halftime and watched the margin grow steadily into the final period.
Jackson finished with 26 points to lead Memphis, but he was limited to just four points over the final two quarters as Charlotte adjusted and sent extra attention his way. Cedric Coward provided a lift with 17 points, but consistent scoring support was hard to find as the Grizzlies’ offense stalled for extended stretches.
Rebounding proved decisive. Charlotte repeatedly won second-chance opportunities behind Moussa Diabate, who controlled the interior with 20 rebounds to go along with 18 points. His activity limited Memphis’ ability to get out in transition and compounded the effects of missed shots.
Brandon Miller led Charlotte with 26 points, including 14 in the first quarter, while Miles Bridges added 20 and LaMelo Ball chipped in 16 as the Hornets showcased balance across their lineup.
For Memphis, the loss underscored ongoing challenges during an injury-plagued stretch. The Grizzlies continue to play without Ja Morant, who is expected to miss at least three weeks with a left elbow injury, and the margin for error has narrowed accordingly. Slow starts and second-half execution issues have become recurring themes during the current losing streak.
The Grizzlies won’t have much time to dwell on the result. They head back on the road for a Jan. 30 matchup against the New Orleans Pelicans at Smoothie King Center, looking to halt the slide and rediscover the consistency that carried them earlier in the season.
Charlotte, now 20-28 and riding a four-game winning streak, continues its road trip Thursday night against Dallas.