Hornets stun Spurs again, win season series

Charlotte Hornets pull off unlikely sweep of Western Conference powerhouse San Antonio Spurs

Mar. 14, 2026 at 1:36am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The Charlotte Hornets (34-33) defeated the San Antonio Spurs (48-18) 117-109, completing an unlikely season sweep of the Western Conference contenders. The Hornets, led by LaMelo Ball's 30 points, have now won 9 of their last 10 games against the Spurs dating back to last season.

Why it matters

The Hornets' success against the Spurs is surprising, as San Antonio has been one of the NBA's elite teams this season while Charlotte is fighting for a play-in tournament spot in the East. This result raises questions about the Spurs' vulnerability against certain opponents and the Hornets' potential to pull off upsets down the stretch.

The details

The Hornets were led by LaMelo Ball's 30 points, 7 assists and 4 steals, while rookie Kon Knueppel added 19 points with his sharpshooting. The Spurs were without star rookie Victor Wembanyama, who was ruled out with an ankle injury. Stephon Castle scored 31 points for San Antonio, but it wasn't enough to overcome the Hornets' balanced attack.

  • The Hornets defeated the Spurs 111-106 in their previous meeting in Charlotte earlier this season.
  • This was the third straight win for the Hornets over the Spurs, completing an unlikely season sweep.

The players

LaMelo Ball

The Hornets' star point guard, who led the team with 30 points, 7 assists and 4 steals.

Kon Knueppel

The Hornets' rookie sharpshooter, who scored 19 points and provided a scoring punch alongside Ball.

Stephon Castle

The Spurs' leading scorer with 31 points, but it wasn't enough to overcome the Hornets' balanced attack.

Victor Wembanyama

The Spurs' star rookie, who was ruled out of the game with an ankle injury.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“We just had to come out and play our game. The Spurs are a great team, but we know we can beat them if we play our style of basketball.”

— LaMelo Ball, Hornets Point Guard

“Without Victor, it was tough for us to match up with their speed and shooting. Credit to the Hornets, they came in here and took it to us.”

— Stephon Castle, Spurs Forward

What’s next

The Hornets will look to build on this upset win as they continue their push for a play-in tournament spot in the Eastern Conference. The Spurs, meanwhile, will hope to get Victor Wembanyama back healthy as they try to maintain their position near the top of the West.

The takeaway

The Hornets' ability to consistently defeat the Spurs, one of the NBA's elite teams, shows that they have the potential to pull off more surprises down the stretch. This result also raises questions about the Spurs' vulnerability against certain opponents, even as they remain near the top of the Western Conference standings.