Brandon Miller scored 23 points and Kon Knueppel added 21 to pace seven players in double figures as the visiting Charlotte Hornets routed the skidding Chicago Bulls 131-99 on Tuesday.
Matas Buzelis had a career-best 32 points for Chicago, which has lost 10 straight games for the first time since the 2018-19 season.
Charlotte, which has won 12 of 15, set a franchise record with its eighth consecutive road victory. The team swished 25 3-pointers, falling one short of matching another franchise mark.
The Hornets outscored the Bulls 42-16 in the third quarter, pulling away after leading by one point at the half. Knueppel and Miller contributed 12 points apiece in the third on 10-for-15 combined shooting.
Charlotte shot 60.7% in the third quarter while limiting the Bulls to 27.8%. Chicago, which committed nine of its 21 turnovers in the third, trailed by as many as 38 points in the second half.
Patrick Williams and Guerschon Yabusele scored 11 points each for Chicago, while Collin Sexton chipped in 10.
Buzelis grabbed seven rebounds while shooting 13-for-19, including 6-for-11 from long range.
Miles Bridges and Moussa Diabate returned to the Hornets starting lineup after serving four-game suspensions for their roles in a Feb. 9 brawl against the Detroit Pistons. The duo shared the team high with seven rebounds.
LaMelo Ball (seven assists) and Bridges both scored 16 points. Josh Green (11), Grant Williams (11) and Coby White (10) were next.
White played 16 minutes in his club debut after recovering from a left calf strain. He had missed all seven games since arriving from Chicago in a Feb. 4 trade.
White, who played 451 games with the Bulls, received a warm ovation after a tribute video aired during a first-quarter stoppage.
Chicago took a nine-point advantage on Buzelis’ layup with 6:17 remaining in the second quarter before Charlotte responded with an 11-0 run. Ball started the surge with a trey before White capped it with two more.
Miller (11 points) and Bridges (10) helped the Hornets to a 56-55 halftime lead. Buzelis led all scorers with 16 points at the break on 7-for-12 shooting.
Charlotte won the season series from Chicago 3-1, closing with a pair of double-digit road victories.
Anfernee Simons (left wrist contusion) and Jalen Smith (left calf strain) missed the game for the Bulls.
–Field Level Media
