The Phoenix Suns and Charlotte Hornets meet Thursday night at Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, and this one comes with a clear reunion built into it. Miles Bridges is facing his former team for the first time after the summer trade that sent Grayson Allen and Royce O’Neale to Charlotte and brought Bridges to Phoenix.
That is the hook for anyone searching Hornets Vs Suns today: Allen and O’Neale are back in Phoenix for the first time since the deal, and Bridges is on the other side in a game that can be watched on Arizona’s Family 3TV, Arizona’s Family Sports and NBATV. The Suns are 4-6, the Hornets are 4-7, and both teams arrive with something to prove after uneven starts.
Charlotte has at least one recent lift to point to. The Hornets snapped a six-game losing streak on Monday with a win against the Cleveland Cavaliers, and they did it by shooting 23-for-46 from the 3-point line. That fits a team that leads the NBA in 3-point attempts and offensive rebounds per game, even if the Hornets are still looking for cleaner offense overall.
Brandon Miller and Kon Kneuppel are out with injuries, which leaves Charlotte short-handed against a Suns team that has found a better rhythm in the last five games through Devin Booker. Phoenix is sixth in the NBA in 3-point percentage and sixth in assists, but it is still 28th in defensive rating, so the matchup still carries room for a shootout if the Hornets can keep creating second chances and volume looks.
That is what makes the game feel more than ceremonial. The Suns are trying to use home court and a steadier offense to press an undermanned opponent, while Bridges gets a first look at the team he just left and Allen and O’Neale step back into Phoenix in new uniforms. The next item on the schedule is the Suns hosting the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday, but Thursday night is the one built around the trade and the return.
