Miles Bridges hit a corner three with 1.4 seconds remaining to lift the Charlotte Hornets to a 117-116 win over the San Antonio Spurs on Friday night. The victory snapped a six-game losing streak for Charlotte, which improved to 13-36 on the season.
San Antonio appeared to steal the game at the buzzer when De’Aaron Fox knocked down a deep three, but after review, officials ruled he released the shot too late. The Spurs fell to 22-27 after the loss.
Bridges led the Hornets with 25 points on 10-of-18 shooting, while LaMelo Ball added 24 points and 10 assists in his return from a five-game absence. Nick Smith Jr. continued his strong play, scoring 19 points for his fourth consecutive game with at least that many.
Moussa Diabate dominated the boards for Charlotte, pulling down 15 rebounds and providing key second-chance opportunities. The Hornets capitalized with 27 second-chance points, outmatching San Antonio’s nine in that category.
Stephon Castle turned in a career night for the Spurs, finishing with a game-high 33 points off the bench. Fox had 22 points and nearly delivered the game-winner, while Victor Wembanyama added 16 points, 11 rebounds, and five blocks.
The Hornets controlled the glass throughout the night, outrebounding the Spurs 53-38, which proved to be a decisive factor. Charlotte also connected on 17-of-38 three-pointers, shooting 44.7% from beyond the arc.
Ball, playing in his first game since recovering from an ankle injury, made the crucial play in the final moments. Instead of forcing a contested shot, he drove into the lane and kicked it out to Bridges, who knocked down the go-ahead three.
San Antonio had led by one after Fox hit a 20-footer with 7.9 seconds left, capping off a late push that erased Charlotte’s lead. However, the Hornets executed on their final possession to secure the win.
Charlotte played short-handed, awaiting the arrival of trade deadline acquisitions Dalton Knecht, Cam Reddish, and Jusuf Nurkic. Despite the limited roster, the Hornets delivered one of their most resilient performances of the season.
The Spurs struggled with perimeter shooting, hitting just 12-of-39 from deep for 30.8%. They also failed to match Charlotte’s energy on the glass, leading to their second straight defeat.
