Brandon Miller scored 26 points, Miles Bridges added 20, and Moussa Diabate had 18 points and a career-high 20 rebounds to lead the visiting Charlotte Hornets over the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday night for their fourth straight win.
LaMelo Ball contributed 16 points and rookie Kon Knueppel contributed 10 points and six assists for the Hornets, who won for the 20th time this season to surpass last year’s win total.
Jaren Jackson Jr. led the Grizzlies with 26 points and rookie Cedric Coward finished with 17. GG Jackson scored 12 points off the bench.
Charlotte pulled away in the third quarter and never was threatened by a Memphis team missing several key players due to injuries; Memphis played its third consecutive game with guard Ja Morant. Morant, a two-time NBA All-Star, is sidelined with a left elbow sprain. Key reserve and occasional starter Santi Aldama also sat out.
The Grizzlies lost their fourth straight and for the seventh time in nine games.
Memphis, trailing by seven to open the third quarter, cut the deficit to 62-56 on a free throw by Jock Landale, but the Grizzlies then quickly fell behind by double digits. When Ryan Kalkbrenner dunked with 7:17 to go in the third the Hornets led by 17 at 79-62.
Four minutes into the fourth quarter, Charlotte pulled ahead by 19 following six straight points by Diabate. The Hornets extended the lead to 22 points in the final two minutes.
Charlotte began the season 4-13 but has rebounded to go 16-15 since.
The Grizzlies shot 58% in the first half but still trailed 62-55. Memphis fell behind by 16 in the first quarter, rallied to take a one-point advantage at 43-42 on Jaren Jackson’s 3-pointer, but then dropped back after consecutive 3-pointers by Ball. Jaren Jackson had 22 points and four 3-pointers in the opening half.
Miller had 21 first-half points for Charlotte, giving him his eight straight games of 20 or more points.
