CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Interstat) — Brandon Miller scored 26 points and the Charlotte Hornets used a dominant final period to defeat the Portland Trail Blazers 109-93 on Saturday at Spectrum Center. The Hornets, winning their fourth consecutive game, broke open a close contest by outscoring the Trail Blazers 35-26 in the fourth quarter. Miller hit six 3-pointers as part of Charlotte’s 16-for-42 performance from behind the arc. Jrue Holiday led Portland with 25 points. The Trail Blazers struggled offensively, shooting just 11 for 47 from 3-point range. Charlotte improved to 30-31, while Portland fell to 29-32.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Interstat) — Brandon Miller scored 26 points, including six 3-pointers, and the Charlotte Hornets used a dominant fourth quarter to pull away from the Portland Trail Blazers 109-93 on Saturday afternoon for their fourth consecutive victory. A crowd of 19,634 at Spectrum Center saw the Hornets outscore the Trail Blazers 35-26 in the final period to turn a close game into a comfortable win. Charlotte improved to 30-31, moving within a game of .500, while Portland fell to 29-32. The most critical phase of the game came in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter. Leading 77-74 entering the final period, the Hornets opened with a 13-2 run to establish a double-digit lead they would not relinquish. LaMelo Ball, who finished with 15 points and eight assists, ignited the surge with a 3-pointer. Kon Knueppel followed with another 3, and Miles Bridges capped the run with a 24-foot jumper to put Charlotte ahead 90-76 with 8:01 remaining. Portland, which shot just 40.7% from the field and a frigid 23.4% from 3-point range for the game, could not muster a response, managing only one field goal over the first six minutes of the quarter as the Hornets built an insurmountable lead. Miller, the second-year forward from Nashville, Tennessee, was the catalyst throughout, hitting 6 of 16 from beyond the arc and adding eight rebounds. His performance continued a torrid stretch for the Hornets’ offense, which made 16 3-pointers Saturday after totaling 72 in its previous three victories, equaling the NBA record for most in a three-game span. Coby White provided a major spark off the bench with 20 points, while Moussa Diabate posted a double-double with 13 points, 11 rebounds and five assists. Bridges added 14 points, eight rebounds and five assists in a balanced Charlotte attack that saw six players score in double figures. Portland was led by guard Jrue Holiday, who scored a team-high 25 points on 9-of-19 shooting. Jerami Grant added 21 points, but the Trail Blazers’ offense was plagued by inefficiency, managing only eight assists against 16 turnovers. Portland’s offensive rating of 93.0 on 100 possessions paled in comparison to Charlotte’s mark of 110.2 on 99 possessions. The Hornets controlled the glass, grabbing 20 offensive rebounds to Portland’s 11, leading to a 23-12 advantage in second-chance points. Charlotte also forced 16 turnovers, converting them into 24 points. Charlotte set the tone early, racing to a 29-17 lead after the first quarter behind 10 points from Miller. Portland chipped away in the second and third quarters, closing the gap to three points on several occasions, but could never overtake the Hornets. Every time the Trail Blazers threatened, Charlotte answered with a burst, often from beyond the arc, finishing 16 for 42 from deep. The Hornets’ defensive intensity peaked in the fourth quarter, holding Portland to 10-of-26 shooting while committing only two turnovers of their own. The Trail Blazers, who entered the game having won three of their last four, saw their two-game winning streak snapped. Charlotte will look to extend its winning streak to five when it hosts the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday. Portland continues its road trip Sunday against the Atlanta Hawks. According to National Statistical’s ELO system, Charlotte had a 78.80% probability to win. The Hornets covered the pregame spread of -7.5, and the total score of 202 fell well under the over/under line of 229.5.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Interstat) — Two teams with identical records and postseason aspirations hanging in the balance will meet Saturday when the Portland Trail Blazers visit the Charlotte Hornets at Spectrum Center. Both clubs enter the Feb. 28 contest at 28-31, sitting on the fringe of the play-in picture in their respective conferences. The matchup will feature a compelling duel between two of the league’s emerging young talents. Portland is led by center Donovan Clingan, who is coming off a dominant stretch. In his last 10 games, Clingan has averaged a double-double, including a 20-point, 19-rebound performance in a win over Memphis on Feb. 7 and a 23-point, 18-rebound, 7-assist outing against Utah on Feb. 12. He posted 16 rebounds and five assists in Portland’s most recent game, a 124-121 home loss to Minnesota on Tuesday. The Hornets counter with forward Brandon Miller, who has been a model of efficient scoring. Miller has topped 20 points in five of his last 10 contests, including a 31-point effort in a win over Atlanta on Feb. 11. He was sharp again in Charlotte’s last outing, scoring 23 points in just 25 minutes during a 131-99 rout of Chicago on Tuesday. Portland has been inconsistent, mixing impressive wins with lopsided losses. After a 92-77 victory in Phoenix on Feb. 22, the Trail Blazers suffered a 54-point defeat to Denver two days prior. Charlotte, meanwhile, has won seven of its last 10, including its last two by an average margin of 24.5 points. The game will be the first of a home-and-home set between the teams this season. They are scheduled to meet again in Portland on Tuesday, March 10. For both the Trail Blazers and Hornets, this contest represents a critical opportunity to gain momentum and move above .500 as the regular season enters its final stretch.