Charlotte Hornets: 3 Keys to the game vs. Minnesota Timberwolves

The third quarter was the undoing of the Charlotte Hornets (12-14) on Wednesday night as the undermanned Memphis Grizzlies snapped the Hornets’ two-game winning streak 130-114 at the FedExForum.

Terry Rozier finished with a game-high 34 points, three rebounds, and three assists while shooting 70.5% from the field and 66.6% from three. Three other Hornets finished the game in double figures: LaMelo Ball (17 points), Gordon Hayward (15 points), and Miles Bridges (15 points).

Bridges also added 10 rebounds and he became the second player in Hornets’ franchise history to record three straight points-rebounds double-doubles off the bench (Nazr Mohammed, 2008).

The Hornets got off a fast start on offense but they left a lot to be desired on the defensive end. The Hornets trailed 70-68 at halftime and the defense completely phoned it in during the third quarter, giving up a barrage of threes, and were outscored in the quarter 31-15. The Hornets were never able to recover.

The Hornets look to rebound on Friday in the first game of five straight at home against the Minnesota Timberwolves (6-19) at 7 PM. The Hornets and the Timberwolves split their season series last season. The Hornets won 121-99 on October 25, 2019, at home, and the Timberwolves defeated the Hornets on their home floor 115-108 on February 12, 2020. The Hornets lead the all-time series against the Timberwolves 37-21.