Brandon Miller's monster dunk, Tidjane Salaün's moment, and more from the Hornets' loss to Bucks

In a game that was much tighter than the 123-113 final score read, the Charlotte Hornet s fell to the Milwaukee Bucks at the Spectrum Center, snapping their two-game winning streak.

Brandon Miller was the star of the show, pouring in 31 points (a season-high), grabbing eight rebounds, dishing five assists, and chipping in with both a steal and a block. He picked up some of Kon Knueppel and Miles Bridges' production that was parked on the bench due to ankle injuries for the pair of Charlotte's starters.

Below are a series of thoughts, stats, and highlights from the game bundled into a neat package called the four-point play.

1 Highlight of the Night

Brandon Miller skies for a poster dunk

Miller's above-the-rim highlight reel from this season is on pace to be the length of a feature film. The climax of his impressive aerial pursuits may wind up being the monster dunk he threw down over Kyle Kuzma on Monday night.

He created the fastbreak with a well-timed steal, galloped the length of the court, and gracefully floated through the air before violently detonating on top of the Bucks swingman.

Somehow, Miller's jam didn't chart on the NBA's daily dunk score chart, which tells me that the judges must have been blacked out of the Hornets' game on League Pass or something, because that poster was a 10/10 on my personal scorecard.

2 Defining Stats

5 assisted threes for Giannis Antetekounmpo

94.3 half court offensive rating for Charlotte

When playing against two-time league MVP Giannis Antetekounmpo, a physical force of nature at the peak of his powers, you have to choose between one of two unfavorable options: let him rack up points as a scorer, or make him a facilitator and hope the rest of the Bucks don't beat you.

Charlotte tried to thread that needle with precision on Monday night, and they got burned by all parties.

Giannis scored 24 points on 16 shots, a picture of ruthless efficiency, and when Charlotte attempted to make him a passer, the Bucks zapped the Hornets to the tune of five threes off of direct Giannis passes.

Great players like Giannis can singlehandedly swing games with their otherworldly skill, and he did so tonight.

On the other end of the floor, Milwaukee's well-drilled team defense gave the Hornets fits.

Charlotte's offense was humming along for the majority of the first half, picking Milwaukee's defense apart with crisp ball and player movement that the Bucks were powerless to stop, but a slick adjustment by Doc Rivers threw off the Hornets' rhythm.

Milwaukee played a zone defense for large chunks of the second half, rendering Charlotte's half court offense obsolete. After scoring 40 points in a rollicking second quarter, the Hornets totaled 47 in the second half, and the majority of their struggles can be boiled down to Milwaukee's zone and an inability to finish at the rim. Even when Charlotte created good looks in the restricted area against the Bucks' zone, they were unable to convert on the clean opportunities which allowed the Bucks to stretch their legs and build a comfortable lead in the second half.

3 Stars of the Game

Milwaukee Bucks guard Gary Harris (11) drives past Charlotte Hornets gaurd Brandon Miller (24) — Dec 29, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; ) during the first half at the Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-Imagn Images | Sam Sharpe-Imagn Images

Brandon Miller
Collin Sexton
LaMelo Ball

Sexton carried the Hornets' offense for stretches, and his two-man partnership with Ball was dizzying in Charlotte's dominant second quarter. The combination of speed, shot-making, passing vision, and decision-making that those two wielded for stretches was intoxicating, and a clear feather in the cap of those that believe Sexton should get more burn as he works his way back from a quad injury.

Ball's efficiency slipped as the Hornets hit the comeback trail in the fourth quarter, but he was sublime for the majority of the contest.

I don't think there are three better alley-oop passers in the history of basketball better than him.

His once wayward three-point shot has come back online, and it was his weapon of choice against the Bucks. However, Ball struggled mightily inside the arc, shooting 3-10 on two point looks in the game.

4 Takeaways

1. Charlotte really missed Kon Knueppel's offensive impact

Part of the reason Milwaukee was able to sit in their zone defense was that Charlotte couldn't make them pay from behind the arc. The Hornets finished 17/46 from three (37%), which isn't terrible, but there was a clear difference in shot quality without Knueppel on the floor to both take and create three-point looks.

2. Brandon Miller's playmaking leap is real

I wrote about this last week, but I continue to be impressed by Miller's passing feel. He's turned a corner as a playmaker since returning from his shoulder injury and the team is reaping the benefits of it.

3. Will the injuries ever stop?

Death, taxes, Hornets started ruled out for the rest of the game due to an injury.

When will it end? The Hornets have been unsuccessful at swatting away the injury bug for the majority of my adult life and it stung them again on Monday night.

4. Tidjane Salaun's moment has arrived

The last couple of weeks have built up to this moment for Tidjane.

The second-year power forward has incrementally progressed since returning from an extended stint in the G-League, and in the wake of Miles Bridges' ankle injury, Tidjane should see some burn as a starter for the first time in 2025-26.

It is imperative that he continues to keep things simple even in an expanded role. He has thrived as a member of the band, and although he may develop into a lead guitarist one day, Salaun is better off just shredding bass riffs in the background right now.

Scaling his impact in a larger role is the next step in his development, and the opportunity to do so is right before him.