Miller Drops 39, Charlotte Holds Off Washington 110-103
Brandon Miller put up 39 points, 6 rebounds, 3 steals, and 2 blocks to carry Charlotte past Washington 110-103 on Monday night. Anthony Davis answered with 29 points and 10 rebounds for the Wizards, but it wasn't enough to overcome a Hornets team that looked locked in from the opening tip.
Charlotte came out with purpose. Miller opened the scoring with a 9-foot two-point shot just 24 seconds in, and the Hornets built a 13-6 lead by the midpoint of the first quarter behind Moussa Diabate's back-to-back buckets and a Tidjane Salaun three off a Dennis Schroder assist. Washington clawed back — Kyshawn George hit a 23-foot three, Anthony Davis converted a floating jumper and two free throws, and Tre Johnson added a 17-foot step-back to push the Wizards ahead 21-17 late in the first. Charlotte trimmed it to 21-19 at the break on Grayson Allen's free throws, but Washington had the lead.
The second quarter is where the game turned. Charlotte erased the deficit quickly — Ryan Kalkbrenner's alley-oop off Schroder tied it at 21, Salaun threw down a dunk to put the Hornets back in front, and then Miller took over. He hit a 26-foot three and followed it immediately with a 1-foot running dunk to push Charlotte to 32-26. Washington kept Davis busy — he scored five straight points to pull the Wizards within two — but the Hornets kept answering. The single biggest moment came at the 5:31 mark of the second quarter: Davis hit a 16-foot jumper off a Kyshawn George assist, and the win probability swung from 48% to 63% in Charlotte's favor. That basket tightened the game to 35-32, but Grayson Allen responded with a 26-foot step-back three, and Sion James hit a three of his own moments later to push the lead back to nine. Charlotte went into halftime up 43-36 and never relinquished control.
The story of the night was Miller, and it isn't close. Thirty-nine points with defensive contributions — 3 steals and 2 blocks — is a performance that demands attention. Naz Reid was quietly excellent alongside him: 18 points and 12 rebounds give Charlotte a frontcourt presence that looks like a real problem for opponents. For Washington, Trae Young finished with 22 points, 6 rebounds, and 10 assists, and Kyshawn George added 20 points off the bench — but the Wizards couldn't sustain enough offense to match Charlotte's depth. Six players sat out by coach's decision for each side, so roster management appears to be a factor early in the season for both teams. On a night that was part of the 2026 Sports Equinox — with the World Series, WNBA Finals, NFL, and NHL all happening simultaneously — Charlotte made sure it wasn't an afterthought.