The Charlotte Hornets continued their surge in the Eastern Conference with a 109-99 victory over the Houston Rockets on Thursday night at Toyota Center, powered by rookie Kon Knueppel’s 24 points and balanced scoring across the rotation.
Charlotte improved to 24-28 and stretched its winning streak to eight games, the franchise’s longest run since the 1998-99 season, while Houston fell to 31-19 after a second consecutive double-digit loss despite entering the night fourth in the Western Conference standings.
Knueppel set the tone early with efficient shot selection, finishing 8-for-13 from the field, while LaMelo Ball added 20 points and five made 3-pointers to control the pace and spacing of the offense.
Miles Bridges contributed 18 points and Brandon Miller scored 11, including the first five points of the fourth quarter that pushed the lead to 96-75 and effectively sealed the outcome.
Charlotte’s offensive balance showed in the numbers, as the visitors knocked down 17 three-pointers and shot 40 percent from deep while outrebounding Houston 46-40 to limit second chances.
The Hornets built separation late in the third quarter after Kevin Durant cut the deficit to seven, responding with consecutive three-pointers from Sion James and Ball to extend the margin to 83-70 with about four minutes remaining in the period.
A closing burst gave the Southeast Division club a 91-75 edge entering the fourth, and a 5-0 run capped by a James triple forced Rockets coach Ime Udoka to pull his starters midway through the final quarter.
Durant led Houston with 31 points on 11-of-21 shooting, while Jabari Smith Jr. added 17, but the Rockets struggled to generate consistent interior offense as Alperen Sengun finished with seven points on 3-of-11 shooting.
Houston shot 46 percent overall but made only eight three-pointers, and Charlotte’s transition defense forced 20 turnovers that limited sustained momentum.
Josh Green provided a boost off the bench for the Hornets with 14 points on a perfect 4-for-4 shooting line, including three made threes, while Moussa Diabate anchored the glass with 12 rebounds.
Newly acquired guard Coby White was available with the team following a trade from Chicago but did not play because of a calf injury and is expected to remain out until after the All-Star break.
The result strengthens Charlotte’s push toward the play-in positions in the East, where the club sits 10th, while Houston now faces pressure from several Western contenders after back-to-back home defeats.
Charlotte visits Atlanta on Saturday, and Houston heads to Oklahoma City looking to stabilize its defense after allowing 223 points over its last two games.
