Charlotte Hornets Defeat Atlanta Hawks in Wire-to-Wire Win

Hornets head into All-Star Break on a high note with key victories over division rival

Published on Feb. 12, 2026

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The Charlotte Hornets defeated the Atlanta Hawks 110-107 on Wednesday night, accomplishing three major milestones in the process: snatching the ninth seed from Atlanta, clinching the season series over the Hawks, and ending the first half of the season as one of the hottest teams in the league with a 9-1 record in their last ten games.

Why it matters

The Hornets have established themselves as a team that nobody wants to face in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs, creating a buzz in the Queen City that hasn't reverberated in nearly a decade. This win puts them in prime position to make the playoffs for the first time since 2016.

The details

Charlotte dominated the boards, grabbing 33.9% of their own missed shots and recording 22 deflections to force 13 Atlanta turnovers. Brandon Miller had another highlight-reel dunk and finished with 31 points, nine rebounds, two assists, one steal and two blocks. LaMelo Ball scored 24 points, including seven three-pointers, and Kon Knueppel added 18 points, six rebounds and four assists.

  • The Hornets defeated the Hawks on Wednesday, February 12, 2026.

The players

Brandon Miller

A third-year wing who has established himself as a budding two-way star and one of the NBA's best in-game dunkers.

LaMelo Ball

The Hornets' star point guard who was brilliant throughout the contest, knocking down seven three-pointers.

Kon Knueppel

A versatile shooter who carried the Hornets in the first quarter with four three-pointers.

Ryan Kalkbrenner

The rookie center who made an impact with his size and timing, deterring Hawks' attempts at the rim.

Tre Mann

The Hornets' bench guard who made key defensive plays in the fourth quarter to help seal the win.

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What they’re saying

“I really think just defensively, our attention to detail and our competitiveness on that end...But I think the biggest reason is our change of mindset a little bit on the defensive end.”

— Kon Knueppel (Instagram)

“Atlanta's gameplan seemed like they were trying to put him (Ball) in every action. And so to make him (Ball) aware of it, to let him see the plays in our film session of how they're trying to attack him and then for him to step up, I thought it was big time.”

— Charles Lee, Hornets Head Coach (Post-game press conference)

“He can do great things on both ends of the floor, so I'm glad that he didn't let his offense kind of dictate his defensive impact. Because when he plays like that, our group gets really excited.”

— Charles Lee, Hornets Head Coach (Post-game press conference)

What’s next

The Hornets will have a chance to rest and recover during the All-Star break before returning to action on February 23rd against the Miami Heat.

The takeaway

This win highlights the Hornets' emergence as a legitimate playoff contender in the Eastern Conference. Their stifling defense, balanced scoring attack, and ability to win close games against division rivals have them poised to make their first postseason appearance since 2016.