Key Takeaways

• Jalen Johnson recorded 19 points, eight assists and seven rebounds as the Hawks dominated the Hornets 128-81, sealing the franchise’s largest blowout in history.
• Aaron Wiggins came off the bench for 19 points on 7-of-9 shooting, and all five Atlanta starters finished in double figures, with Nickeil Alexander-Walker adding 14 and C.J. McCollum 13.
• Naz Reid led the Hornets with 17 points, while Charlotte struggled overall and were booed loudly by a sellout crowd of 19,524 at halftime.
• Charlotte played its first home game without LaMelo Ball after his trade, and also rested Kon Knueppel, Coby White and Grant Williams, with coach Charles Lee outlining no timetable for their returns but noting rehab progress.
• Brandon Miller had a difficult night, finishing 1-for-11 from three and totaling six points after signing a franchise-record five-year, $209 million extension earlier in the week; his 3-point shooting sits at 16% on 4-of-25 attempts.
• The Hawks forced 14 Hornets turnovers in the first half, converting several into fast-break opportunities and building a 25-point lead by intermission as the game slipped away.
• Charlotte’s disadvantage widened in the second half, with the Hawks extending the margin to 49 in the fourth quarter, signaling a rout rather than a comeback.