Rookie Kon Knueppel scored a career-high 24 points as the Charlotte Hornets defeated the Utah Jazz 126-103 at Spectrum Center on Sunday. Miles Bridges led all scorers with 29 points, helping Charlotte snap a three-game losing streak.
High-energy backup center Moussa Diabate provided a spark with 17 points and 12 rebounds. Sion James, Knueppel’s college teammate at Duke, added a career-high 15 points, while Collin Sexton contributed 10 points and 12 assists. The Hornets played without Brandon Miller (shoulder subluxation) and LaMelo Ball (ankle impingement).
Charlotte dominated early, opening with a 39-25 first-quarter lead. Knueppel made 4 of 9 three-pointers, helping the Hornets hit 12 of 26 from beyond the arc in the first half. Diabate’s aggressive rebounding and hustle kept several possessions alive, allowing Charlotte to extend its advantage to 28 points by halftime.
Lauri Markkanen scored 29 points and Keyonte George added 25 for Utah, which lost its third consecutive game. The Jazz briefly narrowed the margin to 16 in the third quarter, but Diabate tipped in an offensive rebound at the buzzer to swing momentum back to the Hornets.
Knueppel received a standing ovation from the home crowd with 1:38 remaining as Charlotte led by 25. The Hornets made 18 three-pointers on the night.
The Hornets started three rookies—Knueppel, James, and Ryan Kalkbrenner—for the second time this season. Charlotte finished the game shooting 48.9% from the field and 41.9% from three.
Utah shot 40.9% overall, hitting just seven of 32 three-pointers. The Jazz struggled to match Charlotte’s energy and rebounding, falling behind on the scoreboard early and never recovering.
Charlotte will continue its road trip on Tuesday against New Orleans, while Utah visits Boston on Monday to try to end its three-game skid.
