CHARLOTTE — The Hornets came in rolling, winners of five straight and sitting at 39-34. They left Spectrum Center with a reminder of how thin the margin gets late in March.
Philadelphia (40-33) survived Charlotte’s early surge and closed a 118-114 road win on March 28, 2026, riding a decisive second-quarter punch and a fourth-quarter clamp that turned a tie game into a 76ers statement.
Game flow: Charlotte’s early control, Philadelphia’s middle quarters
Charlotte looked in command out of the gate, dropping 36 in the first quarter to take a 36-25 lead. The pace, the shot-making, the energy — it all leaned Hornets.
Then the game flipped in the second. Philadelphia detonated for 39 points, not just erasing the deficit but taking a 64-69 lead into halftime. That swing — a 14-point quarter-to-quarter reversal — became the difference in a game that otherwise stayed tight.
The third quarter was a stalemate at 28-28, keeping the 76ers up five entering the fourth. From there, Philadelphia closed with a 26-17 final period, winning the possession game late and forcing Charlotte into a low-output finish after scoring 97 through three.
Turning point: The 39-point second quarter
In a four-point game, the loudest stretch was still the second quarter. Philadelphia’s 39 points in the period set the tone for everything that followed: Charlotte’s early cushion disappeared, and the Hornets spent the rest of the night chasing from behind instead of dictating.
Late-game execution: Fourth-quarter separation
Charlotte’s offense dried up when it mattered most. After matching Philadelphia shot-for-shot in the third, the Hornets managed just 17 points in the fourth — their lowest quarter of the night — while the 76ers stayed steady at 26.
That 9-point fourth-quarter margin was the closing argument in a game where neither team created much separation until the final minutes.
By the numbers (from the box)
- Final: 76ers 118, Hornets 114
- Quarter scores: CHA 36-25 (Q1), PHI 39-33 (Q2), 28-28 (Q3), PHI 26-17 (Q4)
- Assists: Philadelphia 19, Charlotte 18
What it means going forward
For Philadelphia, the win matters in the simplest way: it’s another road result that keeps them ahead of Charlotte in the standings, 40-33 to 39-34, with both teams operating in the same crowded tier. They didn’t need overtime, didn’t need a perfect night — they just needed one dominant quarter and a composed finish.
For Charlotte, it’s the kind of loss that tests a team coming off a five-game streak: the process looked strong for three quarters, but late-game offense is where tight playoff-level games get decided. The Hornets built a lead, absorbed the counterpunch, and then couldn’t generate enough in the fourth to reclaim control.