The Charlotte Hornets defeated the Sacramento Kings 117-109, using a high-volume, high-efficiency night from three-point range to overcome Sacramento’s strong shooting inside the arc. Charlotte hit 19 threes on 40 attempts, a decisive edge in a game where the Kings shot an outstanding 37-of-58 (64.0%) from the field but went just 8-of-25 from deep.
DeMar DeRozan carried Sacramento’s offense with a game-high 39 points, repeatedly creating shots in isolation and in the midrange to keep the Kings within striking distance. However, Charlotte consistently answered with perimeter scoring, led by LaMelo Ball’s 30 points and Miles Bridges’ 26. K. Knueppel added 24 points, and Brandon Miller contributed 20 as the Hornets placed multiple scorers in double figures and maintained balance throughout the night.
Beyond the three-point advantage, Charlotte also won the possession battle with a 41-35 rebounding edge and moved the ball effectively with 29 assists. Sacramento finished with 24 assists and elite overall field-goal efficiency, but the gap in three-point makes and second-chance opportunities proved difficult to erase late.
Going forward, the Hornets can point to their spacing and ball movement as a winning formula when their perimeter shots are falling, especially with Ball orchestrating and multiple wings scoring. For the Kings, DeRozan’s production was a clear positive, but the loss underscores the importance of matching opponents’ three-point output and securing rebounds to avoid giving up extra possessions.