The Charlotte Hornets snapped a three-game losing streak on Wednesday night, topping the Milwaukee Bucks 111-100 at Spectrum Center without Giannis Antetokounmpo. Miles Bridges led the way with 20 points, while rookie Ryan Kalkbrenner delivered a perfect 8-for-8 shooting night for 17 points.
Collin Sexton and rookie Kon Knueppel each added 16 points as Charlotte built an early lead and never trailed, taking control with 3:52 left in the first quarter. The Hornets led 59-50 at halftime and maintained their advantage behind balanced scoring and aggressive defense.
Charlotte dominated the boards, outrebounding the Bucks 50-34, and converted 23 of 27 free throws, a stark contrast to Milwaukee’s 8-for-13 mark. Despite missing LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller, the Hornets executed a disciplined game plan to exploit the Bucks’ weakened lineup.
Milwaukee relied on Ryan Rollins and Myles Turner to stay in contention, with Rollins scoring 25 points on 10-for-15 shooting, including four triples. Turner added 21 points, but Kyle Kuzma struggled, finishing with only eight points on 3-of-12 shooting, far below his season average.
The Hornets’ defensive intensity limited Milwaukee’s offensive rhythm, forcing turnovers and controlling the paint. Charlotte’s ability to capitalize on Milwaukee’s mistakes allowed them to maintain a steady lead through the second half and close out the game comfortably.
Charlotte improves to 4-7 with the win, while Milwaukee falls to 7-5. Both teams will face off again on Friday in Milwaukee, where Antetokounmpo is expected to return.
