Charlotte Hornets Lose Brandon Miller to Right Groin Injury During Boston Celtics Rout
The Charlotte Hornets entered their matchup against the Boston Celtics mired in a difficult stretch, and the situation worsened significantly when star guard Brandon Miller exited the game with a right groin injury. Yahoo Sports reported that Miller limped off the floor in the second quarter of Friday’s 119-80 loss at TD Garden and did not return, leaving the Hornets without their primary offensive engine as their early-season struggles deepened.
Head coach Charles Lee offered a discouraging update on Miller’s status following the defeat, telling reporters that the team will need time to assess the severity of the injury. “To be honest, I saw him start to limp a couple plays,” Lee said, as noted by Yahoo Sports. “He was, he was good, and then he asked for a sub. I think that we’ll evaluate him over the weekend, and then we’ll have more information. I think on Monday.”
Early Exit Compounds Offensive Struggles and Growing Injury List in Charlotte
Before departing, Miller managed eight points on 3-of-10 shooting in 16 minutes of action, missing all three of his attempts from beyond the arc. His lone highlight came on an alley-oop dunk in the first quarter that trimmed Boston’s lead to 24-14, but the Celtics quickly overwhelmed the visitors, building a 70-39 halftime advantage. Yahoo Sports noted that the loss dropped Charlotte to 3-7 overall and 0-2 in NBA Cup group play. The potential absence of Miller strips the Hornets of their leading scorer at a time when the roster is already depleted. Kon Knueppel and Moussa Diabaté both sat out Friday’s game, while Grant Williams remains sidelined with a right hamstring injury originally disclosed by the team on September 25. Knueppel has logged only 5:51 of playing time this season after missing the first eight games with a left hamstring strain, leaving Lee with limited rotation options.
🎙️ Charles Lee on Brandon Miller: "To be honest, I saw him start to limp a couple of plays. He was good, then he asked for a sub. We'll evaluate him over the weekend, and we'll have more information on Monday." Postgame Press Conference: pic.twitter.com/vlhVmOxeXn
Roster Outlook Ahead of Monday Evaluation Against the Cleveland Cavaliers
The timing of Miller’s injury presents a steep challenge for a Charlotte franchise that signed the former lottery pick to a five-year, $209 million rookie-scale extension on October 19, making it the largest contract in team history. Miller had been carrying a heavy offensive load through the first nine games of the 2026-27 campaign, averaging 20.6 points per contest while adjusting to share the floor with LaMelo Ball. Lee and the coaching staff expect to receive definitive medical evaluations on Monday, coinciding with the team’s return home to host the Cleveland Cavaliers at Spectrum Center.