Bridges' 29 points help Hornets blowout Memphis in final home game of preseason

In the penultimate game of preseason, the Charlotte Hornets made sure the home fanbase knew what to expect from their squad this season.

From the jump, the Hornets led behind a strong start from Miles Bridges. The longest tenured Hornet had 15 first half points on 5-7 from the field (3-5 from three) that propelled the Buzz to a 37-30 start after one. They built their lead from there, behind a strong nine minutes from Collin Sexton that saw the guard score 8 points, 2 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 steals in just that stint. The Hornets lead ballooned to 20, however, the Grizzlies were not done.

After a group of runs, the Grizzlies were able to cut the lead to just 7 points, before trailing by 9 going into the half. The struggles of Hornets star LaMelo Ball was able to get the Grizzlies back into the game, as the guard had three first half turnovers along with poor defense that resulted in multiple buckets for the Grizzlies.

Ball turned everything around to start the second half, scoring 14 points while adding 4 assists in the third quarter. A Brandon Miller And-1 three helped bring the lead back to 15, and the Hornets were near unstoppable from there. The team pushed the lead up to as high as high as 28 with 4:53 in the third, and closed the third quarter with a 111-85 lead.

The Hornets started the fourth quarter with the starters out there, in what could be the final game for them this preseason. They pulled them all with 6:14 to go, as the squad lead 128-103.

It was an all around coaching masterclass from Charles Lee. The Hornets were pushing the pace all night, tracking down every loose ball, and were moving the ball around. The squad finished with 34 total assists, with five different players recording 4+ assists.

The Hornets took down the Grizzlies soundly, winning 145-116.

Player of the Night: Miles Bridges

Oct 15, 2025; Greensboro, North Carolina, USA; Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges (0) dribbles the ball up the court during first quarter action against the Memphis Grizzlies at First Horizon Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Brian Westerholt-Imagn Images | Brian Westerholt-Imagn Images

Bridges continued his strong preseason, recording 29 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, and shot 11-16 from the field while going 5-7 from three. It's been an up and down last few years for the former Spartan, and his strong preseason may just be a sign that his near all-star form during the 2021-22 season could return.

"When guys like Melo, Brandon, Kon, Collin, Tre (when he gets back), when they have the ball defenses are focused on them, and they tend to leave me wide open," Bridges said postgame when asked about how he has been able to stay so efficient so far in preseason.

"I worked on my jumper all summer."

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