Hornets Rout Bulls 131-99, Set Team Record With 8th Straight Road Win
Game Summary
The Charlotte Hornets left no doubt on Tuesday night at the United Center, dismantling the Chicago Bulls 131-99 to claim a franchise-record eighth consecutive road victory. What began as an even contest quickly turned into a wire-to-wire statement performance, fueled by a historic third quarter that put the game firmly out of reach. Brandon Miller led the way with 23 points, Kon Knueppel contributed 21, and the Hornets shot the lights out from beyond the arc to hand Chicago one of its more lopsided losses of the season. For a Charlotte team that has built genuine momentum away from home, this one reinforced that their road success is no accident.
Quarter-by-Quarter Breakdown
First Quarter: A Level Playing Field — CHA 31, CHI 31
There was little indication early on that this game would end in a rout. Both teams matched each other possession for possession in the opening 12 minutes, combining for 62 points in a quarter that featured quality offense on both ends. The Bulls looked comfortable at home, and the Hornets were content to push the pace and test Chicago’s defense. The deadlock at 31 set up what appeared to be a competitive evening in Chicago.
Second Quarter: Charlotte Edges Ahead — CHA 25, CHI 24
The second quarter was similarly tight, with Charlotte outscoring Chicago by a single point to take a narrow 56-55 lead into the half. The Hornets began to establish offensive rhythm in transition and from the three-point line, but the Bulls remained within striking distance. Matas Buzelis was doing his part to keep Chicago in the game, while the Hornets’ depth started to show signs of the offensive eruption that was coming.
Third Quarter: Charlotte’s Defining Moment — CHA 42, CHI 16
If there was a single quarter that defined this game — and perhaps this stretch of Hornets basketball — it was the third. Charlotte outscored Chicago 42-16 in a jaw-dropping 12-minute stretch that effectively ended the contest. The Bulls managed just 16 points while the Hornets caught fire, connecting on three-pointers and finding open lanes with precision ball movement. By the time the buzzer sounded to end the third quarter, Charlotte had turned a one-point halftime lead into a commanding 98-71 advantage. The United Center crowd of 19,145 had little to cheer about as the home team was thoroughly overwhelmed.
Fourth Quarter: Charlotte Manages the Lead — CHA 33, CHI 28
With the game well in hand, both benches got meaningful run in the final period. Chicago outscored Charlotte 28-33 in garbage time, but there was no drama attached to the numbers. The Hornets closed out professionally, finishing with 131 points to Chicago’s 99 for a 32-point final margin.
Key Performers
Brandon Miller — Charlotte Hornets
Miller was the offensive catalyst once again, leading all Charlotte scorers with 23 points. The second-year forward continues to grow into a reliable and efficient scorer, and his ability to create his own shot — both off the dribble and as a catch-and-shoot threat — kept the Bulls defense stretched and scrambling throughout the night.
Kon Knueppel — Charlotte Hornets
In what has become an increasingly compelling rookie campaign, Knueppel delivered 21 points in a performance that further solidified his credentials as one of the more impactful first-year players in the league this season. His shooting efficiency and off-ball movement were on full display, and his production alongside Miller gives Charlotte a dangerous one-two punch going forward.
Matas Buzelis — Chicago Bulls
In a night that offered little to celebrate from a Bulls perspective, Buzelis was a genuine bright spot. The young forward posted a game-high 32 points to go along with 7 rebounds, doing his best to keep Chicago competitive even as the wheels came off in the third quarter. His effort and scoring touch were commendable in a lopsided loss, and his development remains one of the few encouraging storylines in Chicago this season.
Josh Giddey — Chicago Bulls
Giddey led the Bulls with 5 assists, serving as the primary playmaker and doing his part to keep Chicago’s offense organized. His contributions in the passing game were a positive, but the Bulls’ collective inability to keep pace with Charlotte’s third-quarter explosion overshadowed individual efforts across the board.
Game Analysis
The numbers tell the story in stark terms. Charlotte shot 42.7% from the field while Chicago did so as well, but the Hornets’ three-point efficiency and offensive volume made the critical difference. Charlotte attempted 40 threes compared to Chicago’s own attempts, and the Hornets’ ball movement — 18 assists on the night from the Bulls — reflected a Chicago team that struggled to generate clean looks with consistent unselfishness. The third quarter alone was a clinic in offensive execution versus defensive breakdown: Charlotte’s 42-point period was the kind of stretch that can only happen when a team is clicking on all cylinders simultaneously while the opposing defense struggles to rotate and recover. Chicago had no answer for the Hornets’ pace and spacing, and by the time adjustments could be made, the damage was irreversible. It is worth noting that Charlotte’s 131-point output and 42-point third quarter also underscores just how far this Hornets group has come in terms of offensive execution away from home.
Standings and Series Context
With the victory, Charlotte improves to 24-35 overall on the season and notches its franchise-record eighth straight road win — a streak that speaks to a team that has found genuine cohesion and confidence regardless of venue. The Hornets’ road record now stands at 9-19, but that number is being reshaped rapidly by this current run. For the Chicago Bulls, the loss drops them to 24-35 on the season with a 15-16 home record and 9-19 on the road. The Bulls remain in a difficult position in the Eastern Conference standings, and a 32-point home loss to a team they should have been competitive against raises real questions about consistency and defensive identity. Charlotte heads into the coming weeks with genuine momentum; Chicago must regroup quickly if they hope to salvage something meaningful from the remainder of their 2025-26 campaign.
