Hornets Vs Bulls: Miller, Knueppel Lead Charlotte to 131-99 Rout and Eighth Straight Road Win
In a dominant showing in Chicago on Tuesday night, the Charlotte Hornets defeated the Chicago Bulls 131-99, a result that established a new team record with an eighth straight road victory. The hornets vs bulls matchup mattered because Charlotte’s shooting and a decisive third-quarter surge left the Bulls unable to recover.
Knueppel’s 3-Point Milestone and Scoring Impact
Kon Knueppel finished with 21 points and made three 3-pointers on six attempts, raising his long-range field-goal total to 201. Playing in his 58th game, he became the fastest player to reach 200 3-pointers in franchise history. Knueppel’s streak of made shots included back-to-back triples midway through the third quarter when he scored 10 straight points to push Charlotte into a 14-point lead.
Brandon Miller and the Third-Quarter Breakaway
Brandon Miller scored 23 points and hit five 3-pointers overall. After Knueppel’s run, Miller made his next three shots — one of them his third from deep during that spurt — to extend the lead to 88-65 and cap a decisive 22-2 stretch. The Hornets outscored the Bulls 42-16 in the third quarter, the surge effectively turning a close game at halftime into a rout.
Hornets Vs Bulls: Team Shooting and Statistical Edges
Charlotte shot 51. 6% from the field and connected on 25 of 57 attempts from beyond the arc, one shy of the team record for 3-pointers in a game. Those percentages, combined with the 22-2 run, produced the 32-point margin. What makes this notable is how the Hornets combined efficiency (51. 6% shooting) with volume (25 made 3s) to overwhelm Chicago’s defense.
Chicago Turnovers, Buzelis Career Night and Bench Contributions
The Bulls were hampered by 19 turnovers and saw Matas Buzelis score a career-high 32 points in the loss. Patrick Williams and Guerschon Yabusele each added 11 points, but the team’s miscues and Charlotte’s third-quarter onslaught proved decisive. The turnover total directly contributed to fast-break opportunities and extra possessions that widened the gap.
Lineup Notes: Bridges, Diabate Return and Coby White’s Debut
Miles Bridges returned from suspension and scored 16 points; Moussa Diabate also started and was back in the lineup after both players sat out four games for their roles in a fight against Detroit on Feb. 9. LaMelo Ball posted 16 points as well. Coby White made his Hornets debut against the team that traded him at the deadline earlier this month, entering midway through the first quarter and finishing with 10 points in 15: 33. Chicago greeted White with a short video tribute to his 6 1/2 seasons with the franchise.
Game Flow: Second-Quarter Deficit to Commanding Lead
Charlotte trailed by nine midway through the second quarter but led 56-55 at halftime, then shifted momentum decisively in the third. The combination of Knueppel’s rapid scoring, Miller’s hot shooting and Chicago’s 19 turnovers produced the margin. The Bulls dropped their 10th straight game, matching their longest losing streak since January 2019.