Miller's Career-High 39 Powers Hornets Past Wizards 110-103

Brandon Miller produced the best scoring night of his young career on Monday, pouring in 39 points as the Charlotte Hornets beat the Washington Wizards 110-103. It was a performance that underlined Miller's growing importance to Charlotte, with the young wing carrying the scoring load and delivering when the game tightened. The Hornets needed every one of those points against a Washington side that refused to go away.

Miller's career high did not come in a blowout but in a genuine contest, which makes it more significant. Charlotte have been looking for a player who can take over games in the fourth quarter, and Miller's willingness to attack, shoot with confidence and keep producing under pressure is exactly what the franchise hoped to see when they built around him. His scoring gave Charlotte control of the key stretches and kept Washington chasing the game.

For the Wizards, the defeat continues a difficult start, but they will take encouragement from staying competitive against a star turn. For Charlotte, though, the story is Miller. Career highs are milestones, but the manner of this one — 39 points in a win the Hornets had to earn — suggests it may be a sign of things to come rather than a one-off night.