At Paycom Center, at Oklahoma City, the match between Charlotte Hornets and Charlotte Hornets, with a superior offensive performance and a more robust defense, managed to impose its pace from the first moments, surprising the home team, Oklahoma City Thunder, which boasts a more successful record in the conference. The Charlotte team demonstrates accuracy in shooting from the court, converting 61% of its attempts, and notable effectiveness in three-point shots, reaching 59%. Essa’s performance has been crucial to building a comfortable margin against Thunder, who is having difficulty finding their offensive consistency, with just 35% shooting from the field. The expectation is that Thunder will react to try to reverse the situation, but the advantage of Hornets is substantial, requiring a drastic change in the hosts’ strategy, under the arbitration of James Williams, Phenizee Ransom and Sha’Rae Mitchell.
The Hornets stand out in multiple aspects in this preliminary clash, displaying not only an efficient attack, but also significant control under the baskets and in the execution of free throws, essential for their leadership. The visiting team’s main partial statistics reveal strengths that justify their impressive leadership.
Consistency in basketball fundamentals has solidified Charlotte’s position in the game, demonstrating a well-executed game plan and its players’ ability to convert opportunities into points. The team’s overall performance has been a determining factor in the wide advantage built so far in the match.
Third quarter highlighted: the advantage of Hornets
The third quarter of the match began with Charlotte Hornets maintaining the intensity shown in the first half, increasing the distance to Oklahoma City Thunder. The visiting team continued to show superiority in field goals and three-point shooting, frustrating Thunder’s attempts to close the gap. The Hornets players have stood out for their agility and accurate decision-making, characteristics that are directly reflected in the score.
Despite the resilience of Thunder, who looked for alternatives to slow down the opponent’s momentum, Hornets knew how to manage the pace of the game. Cada possession of the ball was treated seriously, resulting in successful plays that prevented any major recovery by Oklahoma City’s team. The public present at Paycom Center is witnessing a clash where efficiency has dictated the pace, clearly favoring the visiting team.
Crucial moves of the match: a timeline
The dynamics of the game in the third quarter have been marked by a series of decisive plays, which illustrate the strategy and performance of both teams until the remaining eight minutes. With each move, the tension grows, with Hornets seeking to consolidate their advantage and Thunder attempting an immediate reaction. Acompanhe the key moments of this period:
- 11:42– Miles Bridges, from Charlotte Hornets, demonstrates his skill by converting a mid-range shot (8′ turnaround jump shot), increasing the visitors’ score to 69-50 and consolidating the lead.
- 10:30– Kon Knueppel of Hornets hits an accurate 3-point shot (23′ 3-point shot), with an assist from LaMelo
- 9:49– LaMelo
- 9:24– Brandon Miller, in a quick play, scores a 2-point ball (26′ running 2-point ball), raising the score to 77-55 and showing Hornets’s ability to score in transition.
- 9:10– Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, from
- 8:19– Charlotte Hornets’s LaMelo
- 8:17– Oklahoma City Thunder requests a technical timeout, seeking to reorganize its strategies and find solutions to Charlotte Hornets’s strong performance, before the disadvantage becomes irreversible.
Individual leadership and offensive performance
Individual performances have been a determining factor in the course of the match, with some players standing out for their scoring, rebounds and assists. Pelo alongside Charlotte Hornets, Brandon Miller leads with 22 points, the result of an excellent performance of 6/9 in field goals and 5/5 in free throws, demonstrating great precision. LaMelo Miles Bridges stands out in rebounds, with 8 defensive, and Kon Knueppel adds 13 points, with 5/9 in shooting.
On the Oklahoma City Thunder side, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, despite a lower shooting performance (3/13), is the team’s leader in assists, with 6, and contributes with 11 points, trying to orchestrate Thunder’s reaction. Outros players like Luguentz Dort and Jalen Williams also scored points, but Thunder’s collective offensive consistency has yet to match that of Hornets.
Collective statistics and the contrast in performance
The collective statistics reveal a scenario of dominance of the Charlotte Hornets over the Oklahoma City Thunder in several categories, which justifies the difference in the score. Os Hornets displays an impressive 61% shooting from the field (FG%), compared to 35% for Thunder, a significant disparity that directly impacts the score. On the three-point line, Charlotte maintains superiority with 59% accuracy, compared to 38% for Oklahoma City.
Accuracy in free throws also favors visitors, with 92% conversion, while Thunder records 58%. In terms of rebounds, the Hornets accumulate 32, double the 16 of the Thunder, showing greater control under the baskets and the guarantee of second opportunities and effective defenses. Apesar from a greater number of turnovers (15 against 6 from Thunder), the Hornets were able to convert these errors into transition points more efficiently. The biggest advantage of Hornets in the game reached 23 points, while Thunder managed only 3 points of greater advantage in specific moments.
Recent clashes and position in the 2025-26 season
This clash between Charlotte Hornets and Oklahoma City Thunder is the second of the 2025-26 season, with Thunder leading the recent match record 1-0. The first game, played at Charlotte on November 15, saw Oklahoma City Thunder win 109 to 96, which makes Hornets’s current performance even more impactful. The search for a victory away from home is crucial for the Hornets, who try to balance the season’s record against one of the teams with the best campaign in the Oeste.
In the current classification of the 2025-26 season, the panorama is very different for the two teams. Oklahoma City Thunder leads Conferência Oeste in the Noroeste division, with an impressive record of 30 wins and 6 losses, cementing their position as one of the favorites. Já o Charlotte Hornets, in Conferência Leste, occupies fourth place in the Sudeste division, with 12 wins and 23 losses, seeking to improve their campaign and move up the table, making each victory, especially against a strong opponent like Thunder, fundamental to their aspirations.
Technical details of the game
The match, which kicked off at 22:00 on January 5, 2026, is being played at Paycom Center, located at Oklahoma City. The gym, known for its vibrant atmosphere, is the scene of an intense NBA showdown. The refereeing team responsible for conducting the game and ensuring the application of the rules is made up of James Williams, Phenizee Ransom and Sha’Rae Mitchell, who work to maintain control and impartiality during all moves.
Updates on missing squads and players
Both teams face significant absences due to injuries, which impacts the coaches’ rotations and strategies. Pelo side of Charlotte Hornets, Ryan Kalkbrenner (Elbow), Mason Plumlee (Groin) and Essas absences require available players to intensify their efforts and for reserves to assume greater responsibilities on the court.
In Oklahoma City Thunder, the list of injured players is also extensive, with Brooks Barnhizer (Ankle), Alex Caruso (Back), Jaylin Williams (Heel), Isaiah Hartenstein (Calf) and Ousmane Dieng (Calf) unavailable. The vast number of athletes sidelined due to injury has forced Thunder to adapt and explore the depth of its squad, looking for alternatives to compensate for the lack of crucial players in different positions.