The Charlotte Hornets earned their second straight victory Friday night, defeating the Orlando Magic behind an impressive team effort.
Charlotte finished the game with 120 points, including 39 in the third quarter. The Hornets had seven players in double-figures, including LaMelo Ball, who led the team with 22 points.
Kon Knueppel also had a solid night, scoring 16 first quarter points on 4-for-4 shooting from downtown. That said, he left the game in the second quarter after taking a scary fall, tweaking his ankle in the process.
Although X-rays came back clean, the Hornets have yet to provide another update on his status since Friday's game.
That said, they have made a move for reinforcements, assuming Knueppel misses a few games at the very least. Sunday, the Hornets called up Liam McNeeley from the Greensboro Swarm, Charlotte's G-League affiliate.
Like Knueppel, McNeeley was also selected by the Hornets in the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft.
Unlike fellow rookies Knueppel, Ryan Kalkbrenner and Sion James, McNeeley has had trouble finding minutes in the rotation.
Of the four rookies, McNeeley is the only one averaging fewer than 25 minutes per game, averaging a much lower 13.1. However, when given the opportunity, McNeeley has showed off his shooting efficiency.
Currently, he's shooting over 41% from three-point range, a number that will continue to earn him minutes off of the bench.
As the Hornets get set to face the Milwaukee Bucks Monday, McNeeley will hope to provide a spark off the bench in Knueppel's likely absence.
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