NBA: Brandon Miller scores 25 as Hornets rout Nets

Brandon Miller scored 25 points in just three quarters as the Charlotte Hornets took control early and rolled to a 117-86 win over the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday night in New York.

Charlotte (40-36) improved to 29-13 over their last 42 games, bouncing back strongly from a 15-point loss to the Boston Celtics on Sunday. The Hornets now share the same record as the Miami Heat but would lose a head-to-head tiebreaker for Eastern Conference play-in positioning.

Miller, held to 13 points against Boston, exploded for 16 in the first quarter, leading a 15-0 Hornets run and giving Charlotte a 35-18 lead. He made his first five shots, finished 7-for-13 overall, hit four 3-pointers, and made all seven free throws.

Miles Bridges added 19 points in three quarters as Charlotte maintained the lead for nearly the entire game, at one point stretching it to 35 points. LaMelo Ball also played three quarters, recording 14 points, nine assists, and seven rebounds.

Only Moussa Diabate and rookie Kon Knueppel saw time among Charlotte starters in the fourth quarter. Diabate had a double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds, while Knueppel added eight points and seven boards. Reserves Coby White and Grant Williams contributed 16 and 10 points, respectively. The win marked Charlotte’s sixth game this season with a margin of at least 30 points.

The Hornets shot 47.1%, connected on 12-of-39 3-point attempts, and dominated the boards 47-30.

Brooklyn (18-58) lost for the 11th time in 12 games and fell to 3-21 in their last 24. The Nets remain a half-game ahead of the Washington Wizards (17-58) and Indiana Pacers (17-58) in the battle for the NBA’s worst record and top draft lottery odds.

The Nets struggled from the field, shooting 38.4%, hitting only 7 of 35 3-pointers, and committing 16 turnovers. This was Brooklyn’s eighth loss of the season by 30 points or more. Josh Minott led the Nets with 14 points, while rookie Chaney Johnson added 11. First-year guards Drake Powell, Nolan Traore, and Ziaire Williams each scored 10 points.

Charlotte held a 58-45 lead at halftime, extended it in the third quarter, and led 89-63 entering the fourth.

—Field Level Media/Reuters