The Portland Trail Blazers delivered the most dominant victory in franchise history, dismantling the Charlotte Hornets 141-88 on Saturday night.
Anfernee Simons led the charge with 25 points and five three-pointers, as Portland (24-33) surpassed its previous record for largest margin of victory, a 50-point win over Cleveland in 1982. The 53-point blowout marked the most lopsided game of the NBA season.
Toumani Camara contributed a versatile performance with 20 points, 10 rebounds, six assists, a steal, and two blocks. Shaedon Sharpe added 20 points off the bench, while Jabari Walker recorded 20 points and 14 rebounds.
Portland seized control early, breaking open a 4-3 game with a 13-0 run in the opening minutes. The Hornets (14-41) never recovered, trailing by 17 after the first quarter and by 33 at halftime.
Miles Bridges led Charlotte with 17 points, while Nick Smith Jr. had 14. Jusuf Nurkic, coming off the bench, finished with 11 points, eight rebounds, and five assists.
LaMelo Ball struggled throughout the game, scoring just five points on 1-of-10 shooting. The Hornets shot 34.7% from the field and made only 5-of-32 attempts from beyond the arc.
Portland shot 58.6% from the floor and knocked down 20 three-pointers at a 46.5% clip. The Blazers also outrebounded Charlotte 57-37 and dished out 37 assists to the Hornets’ 19.
Robert Williams III was ruled out earlier in the day with swelling in his left knee. Head coach Chauncey Billups said there was no timetable for his return.
With the win, the Trail Blazers continue to fight for position in the Western Conference standings, while Charlotte remains near the bottom of the East.
