Washington, D.C.- Fighting to keep their play‑in hopes alive, the Charlotte Hornets rode a blistering shooting night from LaMelo Ball, who erupted for 37 points and 10 made three‑pointers, powering Charlotte past the Washington Wizards 129–112 on Sunday at Capital One Arena. The win nudges the Hornets 1.5 games ahead of Milwaukee for the East’s final play‑in spot, while Washington remains five games back of Atlanta for ninth.
First Quarter: Trading Punches Early
The opening period delivered a flurry of momentum swings.
Bilal Coulibaly scored the Wizards’ first 11 points, igniting the home crowd.
Charlotte countered with balanced scoring from Ball, Grant Williams, and Brandon Miller, keeping pace in a fast, back‑and‑forth start.
A 9–2 Hornets run, capped by a Ball three, gave Charlotte early separation.
Washington briefly reclaimed the lead on an Alondis Williams triple, but Miller beat the buzzer from deep to put Charlotte back in front.
End 1Q: Charlotte 38, Washington 37
Second Quarter: Hornets Build the Cushion
Charlotte opened the second with steady execution:
Kon Knueppel scored immediately, followed by a Ryan Kalkbrenner putback.
Knueppel’s three‑point play stretched the lead to eight before Sharife Cooper answered with one of his own.
Josh Green hammered home a fast‑break dunk, and both teams traded baskets throughout the period.
Bub Carrington drilled a three to trim the deficit, and Will Riley added two free throws.
Knueppel closed the half with a late bucket and two free throws to maintain Charlotte’s edge.
Halftime: Charlotte 61, Washington 56
Key First‑Half Factor: Rebounding
Charlotte dominated the glass 29–22, converting that into a 12–6 advantage in second‑chance points. Those extra possessions fueled the Hornets’ early three‑point rhythm, while Washington leaned heavily on its bench, which outscored Charlotte 22–7 in the half.
Third Quarter: Hornets Break It Open
Charlotte delivered the knockout punch coming out of the locker room:
A 9–0 run featuring threes from Ball and Miller pushed the lead to double digits.
After Washington’s Kobe George scored, Knueppel answered with back‑to‑back threes, extending the margin to 13.
Ball then scored two straight baskets, ballooning the lead to 22.
Josh Green added two threes as Charlotte poured in 44 points in the quarter.
End 3Q: Charlotte 105, Washington 84
Fourth Quarter: Young Players Shine
With the game in hand, both teams turned to their young talent:
Charlotte rookie Alondis Williams grabbed a tough offensive rebound and finished through contact.
Wizards rookie Jamir Watkins delivered a highlight chase‑down block, drawing one of the loudest reactions of the night.
The Hornets maintained control throughout, shooting 60 percent in the final period.
Key Stat of the Game
Charlotte: 25-of-46 from three (54%)
The Hornets’ 25 made threes and 25 second‑chance points overwhelmed Washington, which managed just 13 second‑chance points.
Top Performers
Charlotte
LaMelo Ball: 37 points, 10 threes
Kon Knueppel: 28 points
Brandon Miller: 22 points
Josh Green: 12 points
Washington
Bilal Coulibaly: 17 points
Kobe George: 13 points
Cam Johnson: 11 points
Will Riley: 11 points
What’s Next
Charlotte travels to Chicago to face the Bulls on Tuesday night.
Washington heads to Atlanta for back‑to‑back matchups with the Hawks on Tuesday and Thursday.
Follow Brandon Walker on all platforms: @bwalkerdadon