Hornets Edge Lakers 100-97 After LeBron & Doncic Struggle Late/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ The Charlotte Hornets stunned the Los Angeles Lakers with a 100-97 win, led by Miles Bridges’ 29 points and LaMelo Ball’s 27. Despite LeBron James’ 16-point fourth quarter, he missed two late three-pointers to tie the game. Luka Doncic struggled offensively, shooting 5-of-18 as the Lakers’ home winning streak ended.
Hornets Edge Lakers Quick Looks:
- Miles Bridges scored 29 points; LaMelo Ball added 27 for the Hornets.
- LeBron James tallied 26 points but missed two crucial late 3-pointers.
- Luka Doncic posted 14 points, 11 rebounds, and 8 assists but shot just 5-of-18.
- Hornets mounted a 22-1 run after trailing by 12 in the third quarter.
- Nick Smith Jr. hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with 48 seconds left.
- Lakers’ seven-game home win streak snapped with the loss.
- Austin Reaves was ejected late in the third quarter, sparking Charlotte’s rally.
- Doncic went 1-for-9 from beyond the arc in the rescheduled game.
- Hornets face Denver next; Lakers travel to Portland.
Hornets Edge Lakers 100-97 After LeBron & Doncic Struggle Late
Deep Look:
The Charlotte Hornets pulled off a stunning 100-97 upset over the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday night, overcoming a late surge from LeBron James and a struggling performance from Luka Doncic. Miles Bridges spearheaded the Hornets’ offense with 29 points, while LaMelo Ball contributed 27, including clutch plays in the final seconds.
LeBron James scored 16 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter, attempting to carry the Lakers to a comeback. However, despite his late heroics, James missed two potential game-tying three-pointers in the final moments. Luka Doncic, playing in his third game with the Lakers, finished with 14 points, 11 rebounds, and eight assists but struggled with his shooting, going just 5-of-18 from the field and 1-of-9 from three-point range.
The Lakers entered the contest riding a seven-game home winning streak but found themselves unraveling after a heated moment late in the third quarter. Austin Reaves was ejected following a brief exchange with referee Rodney Mott, which seemed to ignite Charlotte’s momentum. The Hornets capitalized with a remarkable 22-1 run, erasing a 12-point deficit as Los Angeles went cold, missing 10 straight shots over a span of nearly seven minutes.
The pivotal sequence came with just over a minute remaining. Luka Doncic briefly gave the Lakers the lead with a putback basket at the 1:03 mark, but Hornets rookie Nick Smith Jr., who had been quiet early, nailed a decisive three-pointer with 48 seconds left—his fourth of the game. On the next possession, Rui Hachimura missed both free throws, and LaMelo Ball extended Charlotte’s advantage with a smooth finger-roll layup with just over 14 seconds to play.
James responded with a deep three to bring the Lakers within two points with 6.8 seconds left, but Ball calmly hit both free throws to maintain the Hornets’ lead. With time winding down, James had two more chances to tie the game but misfired on both attempts, sealing Charlotte’s second win in their last 11 games.
Mark Williams, making his first appearance since the Lakers rescinded a trade for him, contributed 10 points and nine rebounds for the Hornets. The contest was originally rescheduled from January after devastating wildfires in Southern California forced its postponement.
Both teams return to action Thursday night, with the Hornets visiting the defending champion Denver Nuggets and the Lakers heading to Portland to face the Trail Blazers.
