NBA: Hornets 122, Timberwolves 108 — Game recap

Sunday, April 5, 2026 | Target Center, Minneapolis

The takeaway: Charlotte kept its late-season charge rolling with a 122-108 road win over Minnesota, rallying from a five-point halftime deficit and taking over with a dominant second half. The Hornets were down 60-55 at the break, then outscored the Timberwolves 67-48 over the final two quarters behind LaMelo Ball’s 35 points, strong wing play from Miles Bridges, and another sharp bench contribution from Coby White. The win was Charlotte’s fourth straight and pushed the Hornets to 43-36. (ESPN.com)

Full game highlights: The official NBA full-game highlight package is available here, and the Hornets’ own game highlight reel is available here. (YouTube)

Score & line

• Final: Hornets 122, Timberwolves 108
• Halftime: Timberwolves 60, Hornets 55
• Records after the game: Charlotte improved to 43-36; Minnesota dropped to 46-32. (ESPN.com)

Key stats

Charlotte shot 48.9% from the field and 42.2% from three, while Minnesota shot 45.8% overall and 36.8% from deep. The Hornets also got a big scoring night from their top-end talent: LaMelo Ball scored 35 points on 13-of-22 shooting, Miles Bridges added 25 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists, and Coby White chipped in 17 off the bench. For Minnesota, Julius Randle led the way with 26 points and eight rebounds, Bones Hyland scored 18, and Rudy Gobert posted 12 points and 10 rebounds. (Reuters)

Minnesota was also shorthanded, with Anthony Edwards out because of knee inflammation and Jaden McDaniels sidelined by knee soreness, which put even more pressure on Randle and the Wolves’ supporting cast. (Reuters)

Game flow — the moments that mattered

The first half belonged mostly to Minnesota. The Timberwolves played with better pace early, built a small cushion, and took that 60-55 lead into halftime. Charlotte stayed close because Ball kept creating offense, but the Hornets had not yet found control of the game. (ESPN.com)

Everything changed in the third quarter. Charlotte ripped off a 9-0 run to swing the game, and that stretch flipped both the scoreboard and the energy. Ball and Bridges were at the center of it, while Sion James also helped stabilize the second unit during the push. What had been a competitive road game quickly became a Hornets game to command. (Reuters)

From there, Charlotte kept building. Reuters noted that the Hornets expanded the lead with contributions from Ball, Bridges, and James, and never really let Minnesota reset after that third-quarter burst. By the time the game reached the closing minutes, the Hornets had full control and were playing downhill. (Reuters)

Player & coaching notes

Ball was the headliner. His 35 points were the engine of the win, and he paired them with seven made threes and eight assists, according to Hornets.com’s recap summary. Bridges gave Charlotte the all-around wing production it has leaned on all season, and White’s bench scoring kept the offense from slipping when rotations changed. (Charlotte Hornets)

Hornets.com’s official recap also highlighted how Charlotte “flipped” the game again in the third quarter, which has become a theme for this group during its recent surge. That fits the broader trend around the team right now: the Hornets have repeatedly absorbed an early punch and then won games with second-half pace, shooting, and ball movement. (Charlotte Hornets)

I wasn’t able to verify a clean text transcript of Sunday’s postgame quotes before responding, but the official Charles Lee and Miles Bridges postgame media availability videos are up on the Hornets’ YouTube channel. (YouTube)

Why Charlotte won

1. Second-half control: Charlotte turned a five-point halftime deficit into a comfortable win by dominating the final 24 minutes. (Reuters)
2. LaMelo Ball’s shot-making: His 35-point night gave the Hornets the best offensive player on the floor. (ESPN.com)
3. The third-quarter run: That 9-0 burst was the true turning point and changed the shape of the game. (Reuters)
4. Balanced support: Bridges, White, and James all helped make sure Ball’s big night turned into a win rather than just a strong stat line. (Reuters)

Quick look ahead

The Hornets entered the final stretch of the regular season with real momentum, having won four straight and nine of their last 11, while Minnesota absorbed a third straight loss and continued trying to stabilize its playoff positioning in the West. (ESPN.com)