Brandon Miller Struggles in Hornets' Blowout Loss to Hawks

The Charlotte Hornets were blown out by the Atlanta Hawks on Friday night, losing 128-81. It was a disappointing game after the Hornets had secured a 110-103 win over the Brooklyn Nets in their season opener.

Star forward Brandon Miller was a major contributor to their struggles, as he had six points, two rebounds, two steals, a block, and two turnovers, shooting 2-for-14 from the field and 1-for-11 from three.

Miller inked a five-year, $209 million extension in the offseason with the Hornets, but hasn't played well to start the 2026-27 season. Through two games, he is averaging 12 points, 2.5 rebounds, 0.5 assists, a steal, a block, and 2.5 turnovers per game while shooting 25.7 percent from the floor and 12.5 percent from deep.

Charlotte will look to get more out of their star in the coming games, as he is a focal point for their future success. Miller should have some pressure eased off him once his co-star, Kon Knueppel, is back on the floor.

Knueppel is one of the team's best offensive players, as he had a strong 2025-26 season, finishing second in Rookie of the Year voting. He averaged 18.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.4 assists while shooting 47.5 percent from the floor and 42.5 percent from three-point range.

Getting Knueppel and guard Coby White back in the lineup will help the offense find a flow and could spark Miller to get back into a rhythm.

Miller wasn't the only one who struggled, as it was an all-around abysmal performance by the Hornets' offense. They shot 34 percent from the field and 22 percent from behind the arc while turning the ball over 25 times. 

Naz Reid was in double figures with 17 points, six rebounds, two assists, and a steal, shooting 7-for-16 from the floor and 3-for-8 from downtown, but he turned the ball over seven times. Grayson Allen and Tidjane Salaun were the other two players in double digits for Charlotte, with 11 points apiece.

While the offense was bad, the defense wasn't great either for the Hornets. Atlanta shot 51 percent from the field and 40 percent from three, with seven Hawks players scoring double-digit points.

There aren't many positives to take away from this game for Charlotte. Charles Lee will look to get his group back on track ahead of their matchup on Saturday against the Miami Heat.