- Oct 16, 2026
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SportsMafia Wire graphic. Team logos and player headshots via ESPN.
The Atlanta Hawks defeated the Charlotte Hornets 128-81 on Friday night, establishing the largest margin of victory in franchise history at 47 points.
The previous record had stood since Nov. 15, 2017, when Atlanta beat Sacramento 126-80. The Hawks built a 25-point first-half lead by forcing 14 turnovers before halftime, converting those mistakes into 15 fast-break points. The advantage swelled to 49 points in the fourth quarter.
Jalen Johnson led Atlanta with 19 points, eight assists and seven rebounds. Aaron Wiggins added 19 points off the bench on 7-of-9 shooting. Nickell Alexander-Walker and C.J. McCollum each scored 14 points, and all five Hawks starters reached double figures.
The game marked Charlotte's first home contest since trading LaMelo Ball. The sellout crowd of 19,524 voiced displeasure, booing loudly at halftime with the jeers intensifying in the third quarter. Brandon Miller struggled for the Hornets, finishing with six points on 1-of-11 three-point shooting. He has made just 16 percent (4 of 25) from beyond the arc over two games since signing a five-year, $209 million extension earlier this week.
Charlotte played without Kon Knueppel (hamstring), Coby White (calf) and Grant Williams (hamstring). Coach Charles Lee said there is no timetable for their return but noted all three are "making good progress in rehab and trending in the right direction." Charlotte faces Miami at home Saturday, repeating a matchup from last season's play-in tournament.
Source: ESPN - Fri Oct 23, 9:37 PM ET
Written by the SportsMafia Wire desk in our own words from the original reporting (AI-assisted, checked against the source).