The Golden State Warriors bounced back from their loss in Philadelphia with a convincing 119-101 victory over the Charlotte Hornets on Monday night. Stephen Curry recorded 21 points and 10 assists in his annual homecoming, leading Golden State (33-28) to its sixth win in the last seven games.
Despite the Hornets’ struggles, Miles Bridges put on an offensive showcase with a game-high 35 points. LaMelo Ball added 25 points and nine rebounds, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the Warriors’ balanced attack. Charlotte (14-46) has now dropped 10 of its last 11 games, including seven straight.
Golden State took control in the second half after a competitive first two quarters. The Hornets’ defensive focus on Curry allowed other Warriors to capitalize, with Buddy Hield scoring 22 points and Brandin Podziemski contributing 19 points and 10 rebounds. Draymond Green also had a strong performance, finishing with 16 points, 13 rebounds, and seven assists.
Charlotte made a push late in the third quarter, cutting the deficit to three points, but Golden State quickly responded. Hield drained back-to-back three-pointers, and Jimmy Butler III added a corner triple to push the lead back to double digits. From there, the Warriors never looked back.
The game saw some chippy moments, particularly in the third quarter. A collision between Ball and Gary Payton II forced Payton to exit with a head injury. Shortly after, Draymond Green was assessed a flagrant-1 foul, and Steve Kerr received a technical foul.
The Hornets’ lack of depth was evident, as their bench was outscored 45-21. Injuries have plagued Charlotte throughout the season, and the team struggled to keep pace with Golden State’s firepower.
Curry, who was raised in Charlotte and played college basketball at Davidson, has always performed well in his home city. He went 6-for-14 from the field and knocked down three triples. However, his streak of 29 consecutive made free throws came to an end after missing twice from the line.
The Warriors shot 42.1% from the field and 36% from beyond the arc, while Charlotte finished at 39.5% overall and just 27.5% from three-point range. Golden State also dominated the glass, outrebounding the Hornets 54-47.
