UPDATE: In a jaw-dropping upset, the Charlotte Hornets delivered a crushing 124-97 defeat to the Oklahoma City Thunder, marking the Thunder’s worst loss of the season on Monday night. Brandon Miller led the Hornets with 28 points, while Kon Knueppel contributed 23 points as Charlotte broke a troubling streak of three losses in four games.
The defeat is particularly significant for the Thunder, who entered the game as a 15.5-point favorite, but suffered their first loss of the season to a team with a losing record. They had maintained a stunning record of 45 straight wins against teams below .500 and were previously 50-2 over the last two seasons.
In a game that saw the Thunder score a season-low and fall short of 100 points for the first time, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander struggled with only 21 points, marking his lowest shooting percentage of the season at just 33%. His scoring streak of 108 consecutive games with at least 20 points is now at risk, as he failed to hit his mark following two consecutive games below 40% shooting.
The game began with the Hornets racing to an early lead of 21-9, but the Thunder, fueled by Ajay Mitchell‘s contributions off the bench, managed to tie the game at 33 by the end of the first quarter. However, Charlotte regained control, leading by 67-50 at halftime, with Miller scoring 19 points before the break.
Charlotte’s momentum continued into the second half, highlighted by an incredible circus shot from LaMelo Ball that pushed their lead to 74-55. As the game progressed, Miller’s buzzer-beater at the end of the third quarter further extended the Hornets’ lead to 99-71, sealing their dominating performance.
This marked Oklahoma City’s second consecutive loss and their second defeat at home this season, dropping their record to 30-7 after a stellar start of 24-1. The Hornets’ performance is a serious wake-up call for the defending champions, who now face questions about their dominance in the league.
As the season progresses, fans and analysts will closely monitor how the Thunder respond to this shocking defeat. Will they rebound in their next game, or has the Hornets’ victory exposed vulnerabilities in their game plan?
The basketball world is watching closely. Stay tuned for updates as Oklahoma City attempts to regroup and reclaim their status as the NBA front-runners.
