Washington Scores 25 PTS, Miller Makes Timely Shots in NBA Debut, Charlotte Controls Glass
While it might not have been the prettiest or cleanest season opener they’ve ever played, the Charlotte Hornets came together over the final few minutes for a 116-110 home victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday night.
Leading the way for the victors was PJ Washington, who poured in a game-high 25 points – a threshold he hit nine times last season – on 12-of-18 shooting, five rebounds and two assists. Terry Rozier was right behind him with 24 points – 11 in the second quarter, then nine in the fourth – five rebounds and six assists.
Atlanta led by 11 in the second quarter, shortly before Charlotte closed the frame on an 11-3 run to enter the break down, 52-51. The Hornets crashed the glass hard in the third to take a five-point lead into the fourth, eventually finding themselves down by two with five minutes to go. Back-to-back 3-pointers by Washington and Brandon Miller began a 14-6 run to swing a 109-103 advantage back Charlotte’s way. Trae Young cut it to one possession with a late off-balance 3-pointer, a shot that was soon countered by Rozier’s game-icing floater at the other end.
“A lot of guys made good plays, big plays in the fourth quarter there,” said Hornets Head Coach Steve Clifford afterwards. “The biggest thing for me was, there’s nothing more important than when we’re down 11, we competed hard. I thought the whole game, our effort was so good. I just liked our attitude. We fought hard, we hung in the game, down 11, kept playing. We did the same thing in the second half. There’s nothing more important than how hard you play.”
LaMelo Ball overcame a 0-of-9 start to finish with 15 points and 10 assists, good for the third such 15-10 season-opening statline in franchise history (Raymond Felton, 2007; Muggsy Bogues, 1992). Mark Williams also double-doubled with 13 points and a game-high 15 rebounds, the most boards by a Hornet in a season-opener since 2017 (Dwight Howard). And after some early foul trouble, Miller capped off his NBA debut by scoring 13 points, eight of which came on a trio of big fourth-quarter shots.
“I had a lot of fun when both went through the net,” said the rookie Miller, when asked about his two momentum-shifting fourth-quarter 3-pointers. “I think the crowd loved it. I think it was just enjoying the moments with my teammates and getting the win was the best part. I think tonight it’s probably going to settle in when I go to sleep. I’m definitely going to feel it tomorrow morning. Just going to be coming in here, working hard and getting better.”
As a team, the Hornets won the glass, 51-42 (42-28 from the second quarter on), which helped overcome 19 turnovers that went for a relatively manageable 17 Atlanta points. This victory also marks the second time in team history that the Hornets have won three consecutive season-openers and the first time doing so since 1999-2001.
Atlanta’s Young never really got going in this one, ending the night with 23 points on 4-of-19 shooting (1-of-9 from 3-point range, 14-of-15 from the line) and nine assists. The two-time NBA All-Star actually had more turnovers (five) than made baskets (four), the latter of which would have matched his fourth-lowest single-game total last season. Third-year reserve forward Jalen Johnson added onto the Hawks’ total with a career-high 21 points on 9-of-13 shooting.
The Hornets will look to start 2-0 when they host the Detroit Pistons on Friday, Oct. 27 beginning at 7 PM ET at Spectrum Center. Follow all the action on Bally Sports Southeast and WFNZ 92.7 FM.