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Wiggins catches fire, Hornets lose and are eliminated from playoff contention

Charlotte falls to Miami after losing early double-digit lead
Albert Bottcher|
Rhona Wise-Imagn Images

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Charlotte Hornets

The Charlotte Hornets added another loss to their record with a 122-105 defeat to the Miami Heat on Sunday evening.

The hosts controlled the action early on, while the Hornets struggled offensively. But after missing their first four triples and going down 6-9, a timeout by Charles Lee lit a momentary fire under the squad.

Powered by a strong stretch of play from Nick Smith Jr. and Mark Williams, the Hornets stormed to a 41-29 lead in the middle of the second quarter. But the Heat, who were riding a ten-game losing streak into Sunday's matchup, had the last laugh of the first half with an ensuing 28-6 run.

Charles Lee's defensive worries continued after the break. Andrew Wiggins (15 points in the third, 42 in total) and Tyler Herro (11 in the third, 29 in total) ran roughshod on the Hornets' defense and they also got enough help from the rest of their rotation to put together a 39-point quarter as a team.

It's not like Charlotte struggled offensively. But they simply weren't able to match Miami's firepower scoring-wise or put an end to the onslaught on the defensive end. A very slight comeback in the final minutes of the game didn't change matters.

Worst of the Night: Wing defense

The Hornets lack an above-average wing defender, especially in the absence of Josh Green, Josh Okogie, and Grant Williams. While Wiggins and Herro didn't exclusively score in one-on-one situations, the lack of a lengthy, mobile matchup made life easier for them when they did attack in isolation.

Stat of the Night: 105 points

105 points - that's the same number of points the Hornets scored in their last outing against Miami about two weeks ago. Back then they were more successful thanks to their defense, which only allowed 102 points in comparison to today's 122.

Highlight of the Night: Nick Smith Jr. catches fire early on

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Albert Bottcher
ALBERT BOTTCHER

Albert Böttcher is a basketball enthusiast from Germany who has been covering the Hornets for On SI since February of 2024. He's contributed to draft and game day coverage, but also writes in-depth pieces on multiple Hornets-related topics. He also works for the media department of the German basketball club Alba Berlin.

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