CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The Miami Heat fell to 0-3 Saturday after a 115-110 loss to a Charlotte Hornets team coming off one of the worst defeats in franchise history.
Giannis Antetokounmpo, the two-time MVP in his first season with the Heat, was limited to 14 points before fouling out with a little less than two minutes remaining.
The Hornets, who were missing starters Kon Knueppel and Coby White, lost their home opener to Atlanta on Friday 128-81. The bounce-back performance was led by Brandon Miller, who scored 34 points after a dismal showing on Friday.
Dennis Schroder added 25 points, Naz Reid had 23 and Grayson Allen contributed 20 for Charlotte (2-1).
The Hornets, who were 11-of-51 from 3-point range Friday, made 16-of-43 on Saturday. Five of those 3s sparked a 24-7 run in the third quarter that gave them control of the game to the delight of the sellout crowd of 19,611 at Spectrum Center.
Leading 68-63 with 10½ minutes left in the third period, Charlotte's surge gave it a 92-70 advantage with 2:55 left in the quarter.
But with Antetokounmpo in foul trouble, Miami coach Erik Spoelstra used a lineup of starters Davion Mitchell and Bam Adebayo and reserves Pelle Larsson, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Bobby Portis Jr. to spark a rally that forged ties at 100, 102 and 104.
"Our system is our system, we can be that active at any point during the game," Heat coach Eric Spoelstra said of the 29-10 run Miami went on with that reserve unit, "when we aren't we're choosing not to and we're paying the price for that. But that was inspiring and ultimately what I told our team right now is we need inspiration."
After the final tie with 3:46 to play, Allen turned the momentum back Charlotte's way for good with an acrobatic 3-pointer from the left wing while being fouled by Hardaway at the end of the 24-second shot clock.
When Allen's free throw completed the four-point play, it gave Charlotte a 108-104 lead. Miami would not get any closer than three the rest of the way.
This is the first 0-3 start in Erik Spoelstra's 19-year tenure as Heat head coach, according to ESPN Research.
Mitchell led Miami with 22 points with Adebayo adding 20, Larsson 15 and Klay Thompson 14.
The teams were meeting for the first time since Charlotte's 127-126 overtime win in the Eastern Conference play-in tournament ended Miami's 2025-26 season. Charlotte's LaMelo Ball, who hit the game-winning shot in that victory, was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the offseason.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.