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Powell scores 25, Heat start fast and run away from Hornets in NBA Cup, 126-108

Byline: Tim Reynolds

Powell scores 25, Heat start fast and run away from Hornets in NBA Cup, 126-108 | iNFOnews.ca
Miami Heat guard Norman Powell (24) drives to the basket as Charlotte Hornets guard Kon Knueppel (7) defends during the first half of an NBA Cup basketball game Friday, Nov. 7, 2025, in Miami. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

MIAMI (AP) — Norman Powell scored 25 points and the Miami Heat enjoyed a record-setting first quarter on the way to a 126-108 victory over the Charlotte Hornets in an NBA Cup game Friday night, giving coach Erik Spoelstra a win a day after his home burned down.

Andrew Wiggins scored 22 points and Pelle Larsson added 19 for Miami.

Rookie Kon Knueppel had his highest-scoring game as a pro, finishing with 30 for Charlotte. Tre Mann scored 20 points for Charlotte, and Miles Bridges finished with 14 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists.

Miami scored a franchise-record 53 points in the first quarter — the second highest-scoring first quarter in NBA history — and led by 26 points with 9:20 left in the second quarter.

It was 64-38. Barely seven minutes later, it was 66-65 — after Charlotte went on a 27-2 run. But the Hornets never led, and the Heat pulled away in the fourth.

The Heat managed only 19 points in the second quarter. They became the second team in the NBA’s shot-clock era — which started in 1954 — to score at least 50 in one quarter and then fail to score 20 in the next quarter of the same regular season game. Memphis also did it on March 5, 2023 in a loss to the Los Angeles Clippers.

Hornets rookie center Ryan Kalkbrenner was 5-for-7 from the field — and his shooting percentage actually dropped. Kalkbrenner came into the game shooting 82.9%, and that rate fell to 81.3% on Friday.

Up next

Hornets: Host the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday night.

Heat: Host Portland on Saturday night.

___

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

Powell scores 25, Heat start fast and run away from Hornets in NBA Cup, 126-108 | iNFOnews.ca
Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges (0) defends Miami Heat guard Pelle Larsson (9) during the first half of an NBA Cup basketball game Friday, Nov. 7, 2025, in Miami. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
Powell scores 25, Heat start fast and run away from Hornets in NBA Cup, 126-108 | iNFOnews.ca
Miami Heat guard Pelle Larsson (9) drives to the basket over Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges (0) during the first half of an NBA Cup basketball game Friday, Nov. 7, 2025, in Miami. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
Powell scores 25, Heat start fast and run away from Hornets in NBA Cup, 126-108 | iNFOnews.ca
Charlotte Hornets guard Liam McNeeley (33) looks up at the scoreboard during the first half of an NBA Cup basketball game against the Miami Heat Friday, Nov. 7, 2025, in Miami. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
Powell scores 25, Heat start fast and run away from Hornets in NBA Cup, 126-108 | iNFOnews.ca
Miami Heat forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. (11) drives to the basket as Charlotte Hornets forward Moussa Diabate (14) defends during the first half of an NBA Cup basketball game Friday, Nov. 7, 2025, in Miami. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

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The Associated Press

Tim Reynolds

The Associated Press is an independent global news organization dedicated to factual reporting. Founded in 1846, AP today remains the most trusted source of fast, accurate, unbiased news in all formats and the essential provider of the technology and services vital to the news business. More than half the world’s population sees AP journalism every day.

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