1
Mar
Aussies in the NBA
Josh out duels 'Tisse in bronzed Boomers battle
Josh Green #10 of the Charlotte Hornets drives to the basket during the game against the Portland Trail Blazers on February 28, 2026 (US) at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. Photo: Kent Smith/NBAE via Getty Images
Highlights
Australians Josh Green and Matisse Thybulle face off as Hornets beat Blazers in play-in race.
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NBA Scores: Charlotte Hornets 109 Portland Trail Blazers 93
- Charlotte Hornets: 30–31 overall │ 13–16 home
- Portland Trail Blazers: 29–32 overall │ 13–17 away
- Spectrum Center – Charlotte, NC
Charlotte improved to 30–31 with a 109–93 win against Portland (29–32), highlighted by an Australian match-up between bronze medal Boomers Josh Green and Matisse Thybulle. Both Charlotte and Portland are right in the play-in mix with both Australians fighting to make the 2026 NBA Playoffs.
Josh Green – Charlotte
15 minutes │ 6 points │ 2-from-3 FG │ 1-from-2 3PT │ 1-of-2 FT │ 3 rebounds │ 1 steal │ 2 turnovers │ -3
Green, once again, delivered efficient bench production. He attempted just three field goals and converted two, including one three-pointer. He added three rebounds and a steal in controlled minutes as Charlotte won the rebounding battle 55–39.
Matisse Thybulle – Portland
12 minutes │ 5 points │ 2-from-4 FG │ 1-from-3 3PT │ 3 rebounds │ 2 assists │ 2 steals │ 1 block │ 0 turnovers │ +3
Thybulle’s impact came defensively, recording two steals and a block without committing a turnover. His activity was reflected in Portland’s eight steals.
Both Australians finished with positive defensive stat lines. Green provided scoring efficiency; Thybulle contributed across categories.
Charlotte’s Statistical Edge
Charlotte’s advantage came in possession control:
- Rebounds: 55–39
- Offensive rebounds: 20–11
- Three-point shooting: 16-from-42 (38%)
- Portland from three: 11-from-47 (23%)
Brandon Miller led Charlotte with 26 points, shooting 6-for-12 from beyond the arc. Former NBL Next Star LaMelo Ball added 15 points and 8 assists.
For Portland, Jrue Holiday scored 25 points, while Jerami Grant added 21.
By the Numbers
- Charlotte: 38-from-91 FG │ 16-from-42 3PT │ 17-of-25 FT │ 55 REB │ 24 AST │ 11 STL
- Portland: 35-from-86 FG │ 11-from-47 3PT │ 12-of-19 FT │ 39 REB │ 22 AST │ 8 STL
Charlotte now leads the season series 1–0. The rematch in Portland presents another Australian head-to-head within the broader NBA contest.
Charlotte Hornets Playoff Push – Remaining Schedule Breakdown
Current Record: 30–31 (9th East)
Home: 13–16 │ Away: 17–15
Point Differential: +3.0
Streak: W4
Charlotte sits 9th in the Eastern Conference, tied on record with 10th-placed Atlanta Hawks and 1.5 games clear of 11th. The gap to 6th (automatic playoff berth) is 4.5 games.
They have 21 games remaining.
Remaining Schedule Snapshot
Home (10)
- Dallas
- Miami (x2)
- Orlando
- Memphis
- Sacramento
- New York
- Philadelphia
- Boston
- Phoenix
- Indiana
- Detroit
Away (11)
- Boston (x2)
- Phoenix
- Portland
- Sacramento
- San Antonio
- Brooklyn
- Minnesota
- New York
Strength of Run: Play-In Direct Rivals
- Miami (2x)
- Orlando
- New York (2x)
- Philadelphia
- Boston (3x total)
- Detroit (currently 1st in East)
Charlotte plays multiple teams above them, meaning movement is in their control.
Key Standings (East)
- Detroit Pistons – 44–14
- Boston Celtics – 39–20
- New York Knicks – 38–22
- Cleveland Cavaliers – 37–24
- Toronto Raptors – 34–25
- Philadelphia 76ers – 33–26
- Orlando Magic – 31–27
- Miami Heat – 31–29
- Charlotte Hornets – 30–31
- Atlanta Hawks – 30–31
What Charlotte Needs
Realistic Target: 42–40. At 30–31, Charlotte likely needs 12–9 or better to finish above .500 and secure at least home play-in positioning.
Swing Games (Must-Wins)
- Brooklyn
- Indiana
- Detroit (if seeding locked)
- Sacramento (home)
- Portland
High-Leverage Games
- Miami (2x)
- Orlando
- Philadelphia
- New York (2x)
These games are effectively double swings in the standings.
Road Difficulty
Charlotte closes with:
- @ Boston
- @ New York
- @ Minnesota
Three playoff-calibre environments late in the season.
The Reality
Charlotte’s +3.0 differential suggests they are better than a sub-.500 team. The 4-game winning streak stabilises their position, but the final 21 games include 12 against playoff or play-in teams. The margin for error is thin. If they split the Boston games and take care of sub-.500 opposition, they control their destiny.
Portland Trail Blazers Play-In Chase – Remaining Schedule Breakdown
Current Record: 29–32 (9th West)
Home: 16–15 │ Away: 13–17
Point Differential: –2.6
Streak: L1
Portland sits 9th in the Western Conference, two games clear of 10th and eight games behind 6th. The realistic target is securing – and possibly climbing within – the play-in bracket.
They have 21 games remaining.
Remaining Schedule Snapshot
Home (10)
- Indiana
- Charlotte
- Utah
- Brooklyn
- Milwaukee
- Dallas
- Washington
- New Orleans
- LA Clippers
- Sacramento
Away (11)
- Atlanta
- Memphis
- Houston
- Philadelphia
- Brooklyn
- Indiana
- Minnesota
- Denver (x2)
- LA Lakers
- San Antonio
Western Conference
- Oklahoma City Thunder – 46–15
- San Antonio Spurs – 43–16
- Houston Rockets – 37–21
- Denver Nuggets – 37–23
- Minnesota Timberwolves – 37–23
- Los Angeles Lakers – 34–24
- Phoenix Suns – 34–26
- Golden State Warriors – 31–28
- Portland – 29–32
- LA Clippers – 27–31
What Portland Needs
Realistic Target: 40–42. At 29–32, Portland likely needs 11–10 or better to remain securely inside the 7–10 range.
Swing Games (Must-Wins)
- Utah
- Sacramento
- Washington
- Brooklyn (home)
- Indiana (home)
High-Leverage West Match-Ups
- Minnesota
- Denver (2x)
- LA Lakers
- Houston
These games determine whether Portland can close the gap to 8th or higher.
Travel & Late Stretch Difficulty
Portland plays:
- @ Denver (twice total in final stretch)
- @ Minnesota
- @ LA Lakers
- @ San Antonio
Multiple road games against playoff-calibre opponents shape the closing fortnight.
The Reality
Portland’s –2.6 differential suggests they are competitive but inconsistent. The remaining 21 games include:
- 12 against playoff-position teams
- 9 against sub-.500 opposition
To climb, they must protect home court (16–15 currently) and split the tough Western road games.
The play-in line is narrow – but controllable.
