The Charlotte Hornets held on for a dramatic 125-123 victory over the Chicago Bulls on Friday night, securing back-to-back wins for only the second time this season. LaMelo Ball spearheaded the effort with 26 points and 9 assists, while Miles Bridges added 21 points to lift Charlotte to its 10th win of the season.
Mark Williams delivered a standout performance, recording 19 points and 19 rebounds as Charlotte improved to 10-28. The team rallied from a fourth-quarter deficit and fended off a furious Chicago comeback in the final minutes. This win marked Charlotte’s third victory in four games after a grueling 10-game losing streak.
Nikola Vucevic led the Bulls with a season-high 40 points and 13 rebounds, including 17 points in the fourth quarter. Despite his heroics, Chicago fell to 18-24 and extended its losing streak to a season-high four games.
Charlotte began the fourth quarter with a commanding 21-2 run, building a 14-point lead at 119-105. However, Chicago answered with a 12-0 run, fueled by Vucevic’s scoring, to cut the deficit. With less than two minutes remaining, Vucevic’s hook shot brought the Bulls within one point at 122-121.
LaMelo Ball responded by sinking two crucial free throws, and after another Vucevic score, Vasilije Micic hit one of two free throws to give Charlotte a two-point cushion with 12.6 seconds left. Chicago had multiple chances to tie or win the game, but Vucevic missed a three-pointer, and Zach LaVine’s follow-up attempt also fell short.
The Hornets were without Brandon Miller, their second-leading scorer, who was sidelined indefinitely after the team announced he suffered a torn ligament in his right wrist. Miller, averaging a career-high 21 points this season, is expected to miss significant time.
Coby White chipped in 18 points for Chicago, while Zach LaVine contributed 19 points, 8 assists, and 6 rebounds. Lonzo Ball, playing against his younger brother LaMelo for the fourth time in the NBA, had 6 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists.
For Charlotte, Nick Smith Jr. and Seth Curry each provided 15 points off the bench, while Micic added 9 points and 4 assists in critical minutes. The Hornets shot 50% from the field and 80% from the free-throw line while outrebounding the Bulls 44-45.
Chicago, despite shooting 50.5% from the floor, struggled defensively in the fourth quarter and allowed Charlotte to capitalize on key possessions.
