Continuing the new format from last month, I will be pinning the post-game thread for this December’s Hornets games. The correct schedule is Most of the scheduled games are now posted in the attached image from prosportsbackgrounds.com
Continuing the new format from last month, I will be pinning the post-game thread for this December’s Hornets games. The correct schedule is Most of the scheduled games are now posted in the attached image from prosportsbackgrounds.com
2023-12-12
Hornets Make Late Push, Miami Capitalizes On Free-Throw Differential For Win
Sam Perley, NBA.com/Hornets
Rozier Records Big 30-PT Double-Double, Early Turnovers Put Charlotte in 1st-Half Hole
Playing mistake-free basketball is a requirement when facing the Miami Heat, one of the NBA’s toughest, most disciplined teams. A few-too-many foul-related missteps was all it took for the Charlotte Hornets to lose 116-114, at home to their Southeast Division rival on Monday night.
Terry Rozier went off for a game-high 34 points – 23 in the second half – on 10-of-17 shooting, a season-high eight 3-pointers and a career-high-tying 13 assists, passing Muggsy Bogues for sixth place on the franchise’s all-time scoring leaderboard (5,561 points). Rozier is the first Charlotte player to ever record at least 30 points, 10 assists and eight 3-pointers in the same game and the second NBAer to do so this season (Tyrese Haliburton, two times), per Stathead.com.
A quick 5-0 spurt in the final 26 seconds of the first half gave Miami a little momentum and a 59-50 lead heading into the mid-way break. Charlotte trailed by 14 near the end of the third, before breaking off a 20-7 run to make it a 96-95 Miami advantage with seven minutes remaining on the game clock.
The Heat stayed out in front though, pulling ahead by six with 90 seconds left. Rozier cut the deficit in half with his eighth 3-pointer two possessions later, then trimmed it to two with split free throws after that. Both sides swapped fouls and free throws the rest of the way, leaving Miami with a two-point lead and four seconds to go. With no timeouts at its disposal, Charlotte inbounded the ball to Rozier, but his half-court prayer hit the backboard as time expired.
Two areas stood out in the mostly balanced box score: free throws and rebounding. Miami sank 27-of-34 from the line (79.4%; season-high attempts for a Hornets’ opponent), while Charlotte was 17-of-22 (77.3%). The Heat also won the glass by 12 (43-31). While the Hornets’ turnovers (11) were less of a factor in this game than their Nov. 14 meeting with Miami, four of them came in the opening four-and-a-half-minutes, leading to a nine-point first-quarter deficit.
“The difference in the game was the free-throw game,” said Hornets Head Coach Steve Clifford. “It was obviously the biggest difference – everything else was pretty competitive. You’re minus-12 at the free-throw line, it’s going to be hard to win most nights. It’s defending with discipline. It’s a huge part of defense. It’s not a selective thing – it’s a habit. You’re either really disciplined about it or you’re not. Our guys have been good in close games. They were good again tonight.”
Added Miles Bridges, “We’ve just got to be better with fouling. They got a lot of easy free throws. Free throws are better than a layup. They did a good job getting to the line. We’ve just got to do a better job of not fouling. It’s hard, especially when you’re guarding Duncan Robinson, Jimmy Butler, those guys. Jimmy and Kyle [Lowry] are hunting for fouls, so you’ve just got to be disciplined and show your hands. They’re going to attack you every play and try to get you in foul trouble, so you’ve just got to disciplined.”
Bridges (18), Gordon Hayward (17), Brandon Miller (16) and PJ Washington (15) were also in double figures for Charlotte, which lost its first one-possession contest of the year (5-1). Center Mark Williams (low back contusion) sat out for the second time in three games.
Duncan Robinson (24), Butler (23) and Caleb Martin (20) all had 20-point showings in the victory. Reserves Kevin Love (19) and rookie Jaime Jaquez Jr. (18) also both cracked double digits, helping Miami’s bench outscore its Charlotte counterpart, 39-23.
The Hornets will take on the Heat once again down in South Beach on Wednesday, Dec. 13 beginning at 7:30 PM ET. Follow all the action on Bally Sports Southeast and WFNZ 92.7 FM.