The Charlotte Hornets ended a difficult stretch by beating the Chicago Bulls 123-116 on Friday night at Spectrum Center.
The victory moved Charlotte to 5-14 and snapped a seven-game losing streak behind an efficient shooting night led by Brandon Miller.
Miller scored 27 points on 10-for-19 shooting and hit five threes in his third game back from a shoulder injury.
Miles Bridges added 22 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, delivering early scoring and late playmaking as Charlotte controlled most of the fourth quarter.
Collin Sexton supplied 21 points off the bench, offering downhill pressure and timely scoring during Charlotte’s decisive run.
LaMelo Ball added 16 points, eight assists and seven rebounds, bouncing back after a difficult night against New York and finding rhythm early with three first-half threes.
Josh Giddey led Chicago with 25 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists, falling one assist shy of a triple-double in another high-usage performance.
Coby White matched Giddey with 25 points and keyed a third-quarter push that briefly gave the Bulls a 94-93 lead.
Nikola Vucevic added 13 points and 14 rebounds while Matas Buzelis scored eight in 30 minutes.
Chicago, now 9-9, struggled from beyond the arc and finished just 8-for-36 from deep.
Charlotte opened the second quarter with improved perimeter defense and built an 11-point cushion as Ball directed the offense.
White fueled the Bulls’ response with 13 points in the third quarter, attacking off ball screens and converting in transition.
The Hornets countered at the start of the fourth with a 12-4 surge sparked by Bridges, who scored nine quick points as Charlotte regained a two-possession lead.
Sexton extended the margin by crashing the offensive glass for a putback, pushing the lead to 11 and energizing the bench.
Chicago continued to miss from the perimeter, going 1-for-10 from three in the final quarter as Charlotte closed defensive possessions with strong rebounding.
Late in the game, play was stopped briefly after Giddey had a heated exchange with a courtside fan.
Security removed the fan before play resumed, and Giddey later said the confrontation stemmed from a remark he found unacceptable.
Charlotte finished with 46 rebounds and 15 made threes, gaining consistent spacing from Miller and Kon Knueppel.
Chicago matched Charlotte with 46 rebounds but committed 10 turnovers and produced only one block in the loss.
Both teams were already eliminated from NBA Cup contention entering the night.
Charlotte returns home on Saturday to host the Toronto Raptors.
Chicago travels to Indiana for a Sunday matchup against the Pacers.
