Another weeknight sellout and another impressive win from the Charlotte Hornets, this time dismantling the Phoenix Suns 127-107 at Spectrum Center.
Miles Bridges led the way with a game-high 25 points, but the night belonged to rookie sensation Kon Knueppel, who etched his name into Hornets lore by breaking Kemba Walker’s single-season three-point record.
Knueppel poured in 20 points on 7-of-14 shooting, including 4-of-9 from beyond the arc. The fourth three-pointer of the night gave him 261 for the season, one more than Walker’s 260 set in 2018-19.
The No. 4 overall pick from Duke has been a revelation all year; he already shattered the NBA rookie three-point record weeks ago and now leads the entire league in threes made.
“I felt like I had enough to help this team,” Knueppel said afterward. “We’ve got a lot of talented players.”
The Hornets out scored Phoenix 69-46 in the middle two quarters after a slow start. Coby White added 19 off the bench and Brandon Miller chipped in 17, while LaMelo Ball dished 11 assists. The Suns got 25 points from Jalen Green but never recovered after Charlotte’s second-quarter surge.
Beyond the blowout and the record, the win carries major weight for play-in seeding. The Hornets entered the night locked into the Eastern Conference play-in but battling for favorable positioning. With the victory they improved to 41-36, keeping them in the No. 8 spot.
That would set up a direct matchup against the No. 7 Toronto Raptors in the opening round of the play-in tournament. Win that game and Charlotte claims the No. 7 seed outright, lose and they get another shot at home against the winner of 9-vs-10.
It’s a far cry from the lottery projections many gave the Hornets at the season’s start. Now, riding a 7-2 stretch in their last nine games, Charlotte is playing with house money and genuine momentum.
A franchise-record night from their rookie sharpshooter plus a convincing home win over a Western Conference contender has fans believing this team can make noise in the postseason.
Knueppel’s record-breaking performance wasn’t just a personal milestone—it symbolized the Hornets’ resurgence. Walker’s 2018-19 campaign remains legendary in Charlotte, but the torch has officially been passed.
The Hornets will face the Indiana Pacers tonight, on night two of a back to back.