GAMENOTES: Regular Season Game #11 Charlotte Hornets (3-7) vs. Milwaukee Bucks (7-4) - November 12th, 2025
The Hornets FINALLY get physical and get a win over the Giannis-less Bucks
Editor’s Note: The following is a notebook full of random thoughts and game observations. Please excuse any typos, errors or extraneous references to the Bobcats and report them in the comments. Thank you.
FINAL
Charlotte Hornets 111 (4-7) - Milwaukee Bucks 100 (7-5)
THE BOXSCORE
WHY DID THEY WIN? (AND OTHER IMPORTANT STORIES)
This was the most physical game the Hornets have played all season by a mile. Ryan Kalkbrenner (17p-9r-3b-1s on 8/8 shooting) and Moussa Diabate (7p-13r-2a-1b-1s) were shoving, bumping and blocking all game long and you could see it wear on the Bucks as the fouls started to mount and the bad shots started to fly. Kalk and Moussa were your gamescore leaders. The center and the backup center! They weren’t alone. Full court pressure, hitting the floor for loose balls, ball pressure, aggressive drives. It was all there up and down the roster tonight. That’s a fun brand of basketball. Not sure it can be maintained or even replicated against a team where you have to scheme against an All-NBA caliber scorer BUT it was fun tonight.
It’s not that the Hornets dominated this game more than they consistently controlled it. Their largest single run was a 9-0 in the early part of the 3rd that sent the lead to 19.
If Ryan Kalkbrenner catches it near the rim, you’re already dead.
The Bucks were without Giannis, The Hornets without LaMelo and Brandon and they looked like the more experienced team without their stars. The Hornets seemed to learn a lot of lessons from the Lakers loss and have adapted to being without the gravity of Ball.
No Giannis makes things a lot easier to defend but the Hornets managed to hold the Bucks to under 30 in all 4 quarters. Giannis or no Giannis, that’s impressive. The Hornets are developing some solid wing defense play from Sion James and Kon Knueppel to go with that aforementioned stone wall of Kalkbrenner and Moussa. The “Big-3” for Milwaukee actually had good shooting nights but Kyle Kuzma and Cole Anthony were awful. It was really the team/effort things that helped keep the lid on. They didn’t turn the ball over above the FT line, got back in transition, didn’t foul and crushed the Bucks on the defensive glass (2nd Chance points: 19-5 CHA).
The Hornets are very young. They are learning to win. Even the “veterans” on this team haven’t won consistently in this league. The way the Hornets played in the 3rd quarter showed they are starting to understand how to maintain your intensity level and focus through halftime to finish these games off.
Only 3 turnovers and no 2nd chance points allowed in the 3rd
Tre Mann was a key offensive contributor during the run in the first half that extended the lead.
Pat Connaughton was a factor off of the bench in the first game against his former team. I don’t think there’s any ill will but he certainly looked like he wanted to make a statement and the Hornets were happy to unleash him. He was aggressive and attacked his man off the dribble with the quickest his first step has been all season.
NEWS AND NOTES
Return game for Pat Connaughton who won a championship with the Bucks
Giannis ruled out pregame (load management) eye roll
Bucks starters: Ryan Rollins, AJ Green, Gary Trent Jr., Kyle Kuzma and Myles Turner
Hornets starters: Sexton, Sion, Kon, Bridges and Kalkbrenner
Kalkbrenner was questionable to be in the game due to his baby’s due date. He’s a new dad! He decided to play and he was one of, if not the-reason they won tonight.
