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Tag: Charlotte Hornets

  • NBA Play-In Roundup: Hornets, Trail Blazers score big wins on opening day 

    NBA Play-In Roundup: Hornets, Trail Blazers score big wins on opening day 

    On opening night of the 2026 Play-In Tournament, survival took center stage. No series, no second chances—just high-stakes basketball where every possession could define a season. And right away, the margins proved razor-thin.

     

    In the Eastern Conference, the Charlotte Hornets and Miami Heat delivered a game that felt more like a Game 7 than a play-in opener. It took overtime, a clutch shot, and a bit of misfortune before Charlotte escaped with a 127-126 win to end Miami’s campaign.

     

    Coby White played the role of savior, knocking down a pressure-packed three in the final 15 seconds of regulation to force overtime—swinging momentum in a game that refused to settle.

     

    Miami, however, was left to navigate the most crucial stretch without its defensive anchor. Bam Adebayo exited in the second quarter due to a lower back injury and never returned, leaving a void the Heat couldn’t quite overcome when it mattered most.

     

    Out West, the stakes were just as unforgiving—but the outcome carried immediate reward.

    The Portland Trail Blazers didn’t just survive—they advanced. Facing the Phoenix Suns on the road, Portland flipped the script late, closing the game with six straight made field goals and a decisive 17-5 run to secure a 114-110 win and lock in the No. 7 seed.

     

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    It was a reminder of what the play-in format demands: composure when the game tightens and execution when everything is on the line.

     

    And if opening night was any indication, the tension is only building.

     

    The East resumes with the Philadelphia 76ers hosting the Orlando Magic, with a playoff berth—and a matchup against the Boston Celtics—waiting for the winner. The stakes are layered: win and advance, lose and face a sudden-death clash against Charlotte for the final spot.

     

    Meanwhile, the West delivers a different kind of pressure.

     

    When the Los Angeles Clippers take on the Golden State Warriors, there’s no safety net. The loser’s season ends on the spot, while the winner earns one last shot at the playoffs against Phoenix—with the defending champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder, looming as the next hurdle.

     

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  • Luka Doncic and LaMelo Ball named NBA Players of the Week for Week 22 of the 2025-26 season

    Luka Doncic and LaMelo Ball named NBA Players of the Week for Week 22 of the 2025-26 season

    Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic and Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball have been named the National Basketball Association (NBA) Players of the Week for the Week 22 of the 2025-26 season.

     

     

    Luka Doncic (Western Conference Player of Week)

     

    The Los Angeles Lakers are enjoying one of their most impressive stretches of the 2025–26 NBA season, posting a 46–26 record to claim third place in a loaded Western Conference. Driving that success is superstar guard Luka Dončić, who continues to cement his status as one of the league’s elite.

     

    Dončić delivered a sensational Week 22 performance, leading the Lakers to a perfect 4–0 record. He opened the week with back-to-back scoring outbursts of 36 and 40 points against the Houston Rockets, then exploded for 60 points on 18-of-30 shooting in a dominant showing versus the Miami Heat. He capped the run with 33 points in a win over the Orlando Magic.

     

    The Slovenian star’s 60-point performance places him among just seven players in Lakers franchise history to reach that mark, while he also became only the ninth to record multiple 50-point games. Dončić has further etched his name in team lore by setting the franchise single-season record for three-pointers made. Through 59 appearances, he is averaging a league-best 33.4 points, along with 7.9 rebounds, 8.4 assists, and 1.6 steals in 35.8 minutes per game.

     

    This marks Dončić’s second consecutive Player of the Week honor, his fourth this season, and the 19th of his career—another testament to his sustained brilliance.

     

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    LaMelo Ball (Eastern Conference Player of Week)

     

    In the Eastern Conference, LaMelo Ball continues his ascent as one of the NBA’s premier young guards, guiding the Charlotte Hornets to a 3–0 record in Week 22.

     

    Ball averaged 26.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, 7.3 assists, and 2.3 steals during the week. In a standout performance against the Miami Heat, he made franchise history by becoming the first Hornets player—and just the 11th in NBA history—to record at least 20 points, five rebounds, and five assists in 20 minutes or fewer.

     

    For the season, the 24-year-old is posting 19.7 points, 7.1 assists, and 4.8 rebounds per game. His efforts earned him the first Player of the Week award of his career, making him the 32nd player in Hornets history to receive the honor—and the first since Brandon Miller was recognized on February 2.

     

     

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  • NBA suspends four players after Pistons-Hornets brawl; Isaiah Stewart gets seven games

    NBA suspends four players after Pistons-Hornets brawl; Isaiah Stewart gets seven games

    The NBA has handed down suspensions and fines following Monday night’s brawl between the Detroit Pistons and Charlotte Hornets that resulted in four player ejections.

     

    Isaiah Stewart received the most severe penalty: a seven-game suspension. Miles Bridges and Moussa Diabate were each suspended four games, while Jalen Duren will miss two games. According to the league, Stewart’s punishment was harsher because he left the bench area to join the altercation and due to his prior disciplinary history.

     

    The NBA confirmed the punishment via a release, stating, “Detroit Pistons forward-center Isaiah Stewart has been suspended seven games for leaving the bench area, aggressively entering on-court altercation, and fighting, it was announced today by James Jones, Executive Vice President, Head of Basketball Operations. The length of Stewart’s suspension is based on his repeated history of unsportsmanlike acts.

     

    “Additionally, Charlotte Hornets forwards Miles Bridges and Moussa Diabate have each been suspended four games for fighting and escalating the altercation, and Pistons center Jalen Duren has been suspended two games for initiating the altercation and fighting.

     

    “The incident began when Diabate committed a defensive foul on Duren with 7:09 remaining in the third quarter of the Pistons’ 110-104 victory over the Hornets on February 9 at Spectrum Center. All four players were assessed technical fouls and ejected from the game.

     

    “Stewart and Duren will begin serving their suspensions tomorrow when the Pistons visit the Toronto Raptors at Scotiabank Arena. Bridges and Diabate will also begin serving their suspensions tomorrow when the Hornets host the Atlanta Hawks at Spectrum Center,” the statement read.

    Tensions boiled over during multiple skirmishes in Monday’s matchup. The initial incident began when Diabate fouled Duren. After a brief exchange of words, Duren shoved Diabate in the face. Diabate responded by charging at Duren, igniting a larger confrontation before officials intervened. Bridges then escalated the situation by charging at Duren and throwing a punch, and Stewart left the bench to involve himself in the scuffle. Following a lengthy review, officials ejected Stewart, Bridges, Diabate, Duren, and Hornets head coach Charles Lee.

     

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    Despite the chaos, Detroit secured the win and continues to lead the Eastern Conference at 39-13, holding the second-best record in the NBA. Duren has been instrumental in the Pistons’ rise, averaging 17.7 points and 10.4 rebounds per game while consistently producing double-doubles as the team’s starting center. He is reportedly still eligible to participate in this weekend’s All-Star Game despite the suspension.

     

    Stewart, Detroit’s backup center, plays a critical role as the team’s enforcer and physical presence. Though he averages a modest 10 points and five rebounds per game, his energy and toughness are key components of the Pistons’ identity. His absence over the next seven games will test Detroit’s depth.

     

    For Charlotte, the suspensions come at a particularly challenging time. The Hornets sit at 25-29 and cling to a one-game lead over 11th-place Chicago in the race for the final Eastern Conference play-in spot. Losing Bridges — who averages 18.2 points and 6.1 rebounds per game — for four games is a significant blow. Diabate, the team’s leading rebounder at 8.6 boards per contest, will also be sidelined during a crucial stretch.

     

    In addition to the suspensions, the league issued fines to the players involved. Stewart was fined $724,138, Bridges $689,655, Duren $89,423, and Diabate $62,641.

     

    After the game, Duren characterized the incident as the product of an “overly competitive game,” adding that the Pistons have faced adversity throughout the season and have responded to every challenge.

     

     

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