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2023-11-18

Defense Struggles Again, Hornets’ Home Woes Continue

Sam Perley, NBA.com/Hornets

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Ball, Miller, Bridges Combine for 82 PTS, Charlotte Can’t Capitalize on Season-High 17 3PM

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Ever since winning their regular season opener, the Charlotte Hornets just haven’t had any sort of home success, the latest shortcoming being a 122-108 loss to the New York Knicks on Saturday night at Spectrum Center.

LaMelo Ball poured in 34 points on 12-of-22 shooting – career-high-tying 8-of-13 from 3-point range – five rebounds and nine assists, good for his seventh straight 25-point showing (now tied with Jason Richardson for the second-longest streak in franchise history, per Stathead.com). Brandon Miller had the finest performance of his young NBA career, scoring 29 points on 10-of-15 shooting, which included a 5-of-7 clip from behind the arc.

Charlotte connected on only 36.4% of its first-quarter shots, falling behind by double digits early on. The scoring eventually started clicking in the second, although the Knicks notched five quick points to end the frame for a 61-50 halftime lead. The Hornets hovered around throughout the second half, but New York simply made play after play to keep the hosts in check for the win.

Miles Bridges (19 points off the bench) was the only other Charlotte player to reach double figures. Not having Nick Richards (concussion protocol) also forced some smaller lineups, leading to a minus-11 differential on the glass against the NBA’s best rebounding team. While the Hornets produced a relatively low final point total, that was largely because New York worked the tempo to its desired pace for most of the contest. In fact, the purple and teal set new campaign bests for both 3-pointers (17) and 3-point percentage (48.6%), marks that still weren’t enough to avoid a sixth straight home loss.

“Right now, they’re (the Knicks), I believe, a top-four defensive team,” said Hornets Head Coach Steve Clifford afterwards. “We shot 49 (percent from the field) and 49 (percent) from 3-point range. Committing 13 turnovers isn’t great, nor is it a problem, and we lost by double digits. It was a slower paced game than normal. I would think that our efficiency offensively would be very good, and our efficiency defensively would be very bad.”

“I think the root of this game was just getting back on defense,” added Miller, when asked about the team’s biggest problem. “I think we kind of struggled maintaining our man in transition. I think that’s just an effort thing with us, something we’ve got to clean up going into the game against Boston [on Monday night]. Our focus is just individual defense. I think if we shut down a few players, we will have a great outcome in any game.”

Jalen Brunson led the Knicks with a team-high 32 points – 26 in the first half – and eight assists, giving himself consecutive 30-point showings for the first time this season. Starting in place of the injured Quentin Grimes, Donte DiVincenzo set new career highs for both points (25) and 3-pointers (7-of-10). Julius Randle (21) also crossed the 20-point barrier for a New York squad that shot 50.5% and 43.2% from deep (16-of-37).

Coming up next for the Hornets will be another home game against the Boston Celtics on Monday, Nov. 20 beginning at 7 PM ET. Follow all the action on Bally Sports Southeast and WFNZ 92.7 FM.

2023-11-20

Hornets Roar Back Late In Regulation, Shock Celtics For Overtime Victory

Sam Perley, NBA.com/Hornets

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Ball Goes Off Again for 36 PTS; Bridges Comes Up Clutch in Start; Williams Has “Best Game”

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With a seventh straight home loss peaking over the horizon, the Charlotte Hornets reversed course with a late fourth-quarter rally, then got some heroics and a dash of luck for a thrilling 121-118 overtime home victory over the red-hot Boston Celtics on Monday night.

LaMelo Ball was marvelous once again, finishing with a season-high 36 points on 15-of-27 shooting – 5-of-11 from 3-point range – nine rebounds, eight assists and two steals in 41 minutes. In the process, Ball became the second-quickest player in NBA history to reach 500 career 3-pointers (175 games) and now owns the second-longest streak of consecutive 25-point games ever by a Charlotte player (eight).

Powered in large part by Jayson Tatum’s career-high-tying 31 first-half points, Boston used a 37-15 run spanning the first two quarters to build an 18-point advantage, eventually taking a 65-54 lead into the break. Charlotte clawed back in third though, drawing within one multiple times, then entered the closing frame down by only six. Boston continued to stay out in front, finding itself up 108-99 with a mere 2:20 to go.

From there, Ball and Mark Williams combined for a 9-0 run, a spurt that ended with a game-tying layup by the former with seven seconds left on the game clock. Later in the final minute of overtime, Tatum drained a potentially back-breaking second-chance 3-pointer, but the Hornets quickly countered with a game-tying dunk. One possession later, Miles Bridges banged a go-ahead 3-pointer from the left wing, leaving Boston less than seven seconds to match.

Tatum managed to draw a Gordon Hayward shooting foul going for the equalizer, making the first two free throws, and luckily missing the third. Bridges grabbed the defensive board, Hayward redeemed himself with two made freebies at the other end and Bridges intercepted Jrue Holiday’s final inbounds pass to cap off the dramatic triumph.

“We fought, we battled,” said Hornets Head Coach Steve Clifford after the win, which also snapped Charlotte’s four-game losing streak and a six-game skid in the head-to-head series with Boston. “A lot of guys played well. The second half defense was the best we’ve played.”

Said Ball on his game-tying layup in the fourth, “We had a play drawn up and they were pretty much switching, so I just went for the ball and made a play. Definitely trying to use this win and take it to the next one. Hopefully, we’ve got a lot of energy, get another win, and then build from there.”

Hayward (20), Williams (18), PJ Washington (15) and Bridges (14) also scored in double figures, with Williams and Bridges wrangling a game-high 16 (eight offensive) and 15 rebounds, respectively. Finishing with a sensational plus-33 plus-minus rating, Clifford dubbed this the “best game” Williams has played in the NBA. “He made more effort plays than he’s made so far in his two years. He blitzed tonight well when we needed to do that, and he was good in the drop. He had a lot of juice tonight.”

Tatum finished with a game-high 45 points on 15-of-28 shooting, 13 rebounds and six assists in the loss, which snapped Boston’s six-game winning streak. Payton Pritchard found his shooting stroke amidst a dismal start to the season, contributing a campaign-best 21 points and a 5-of-8 clip from 3-point range off the bench. The Celtics finished minus-nine on the glass (57-48) and missed 10 free throws (18-of-28; 64.3%), while Charlotte was nearly perfect (16-of-17; 94.1%).

The Hornets will now close out their five-game homestand against the Washington Wizards on Wednesday, Nov. 22 starting at 7 PM ET at Spectrum Center. Follow all the action on Bally Sports Southeast and WFNZ 92.7 FM.

2023-11-22

LaMelo Ball, Hornets rally from 19-point deficit to hand Wizards their 7th straight loss, 117-114

Steve Reed, The Associated Press

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — LaMelo Ball is elevating his game.

Ball had 34 points, 13 assists and eight rebounds as the Charlotte Hornets rallied from a 19-point deficit to hand the Washington Wizards their seventh straight loss, 117-114 on Wednesday night.

Miles Bridges had a season-high 33 points and 11 rebounds, and Mark Williams added 11 points and 14 rebounds for Charlotte.

Ball had 12 points, seven assists and four rebounds in the fourth quarter, and Bridges hit a step-back 3 with 47 seconds left to put Charlotte ahead for good.

It was the second straight game the Hornets (5-9) pulled off a big comeback. They battled back from 18 points down to beat the Boston Celtics in overtime on Monday night.

Ball came into the game averaging 32 points over the last eight games and stayed hot with six 3-pointers and some highlight-reel assists. He’s now scored at least 30 points in seven of his last nine games.

“He’s playing at an unbelievable level,” Bridges said. “He’s made the leap into being a superstar. He was an All-Star, but now he’s a superstar. If he’s not on any of the All-NBA teams I’ll be surprised. He’s a winner.”

Said Ball: “I think things (on offense) are starting to run through me more now. So it’s on me.”

Kyle Kuzma had 28 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds, and Jordan Poole added 24 points for the Wizards (2-12), who went cold early in the fourth quarter.

The Wizards led 56-49 at halftime after Corey Kispert hit a shot from just inside the halfcourt line to beat the buzzer.

The Wizards opened the second half on an 8-0 run and went ahead 81-62 late in the third quarter behind Kuzma — and suddenly it was looking a lot like the Wizards’ 132-116 blowout of the Hornets on Nov. 10.

But the Hornets battled to take the lead with about five minutes left in the fourth as Ball — still playing with a bandage over a neck tattoo that the NBA says violates its rules against commercial logos — took over.

The All-Star point guard found Williams in the low post with a no-look pass and then drove the lane and fed Williams for a perfectly-placed alley-oop pass between two defenders.

“His vision and ability to deliver passes is really remarkable. He’s just playing at a super high level,” Hornets coach Steve Clifford said.

Ball knocked down two more 3-pointers as the Hornets inched closer and then gave Charlotte the lead by finding a cutting Bridges for a layup.

After Bridges’ go-ahead 3 — which was similar to his shot that beat the Celtics with 6.6 seconds left in overtime — Daniel Gafford cut the lead to one with a layup. Ball then made two free throws with 17 seconds left with the crowd chanting “MVP! MVP!”

Kuzma had a chance to tie the game, but missed a long 3-pointer as the clock was winding down.

“We didn’t make enough plays late to get it done, but that’s progress,” Wizards coach Wes Unseld Jr said. “To be in those situations where the game is tight, game is in the balance, I think that’s growth for us, so continue to lean in on that.”

It was Bridges’ fourth game back after sitting out all of last season and serving a 10-game suspension this year for his role in a domestic violence case in 2022. But he’s picking up where he left off when he led the Hornets in scoring two seasons ago, averaging 20.7 points per game.

Bridges said he’s not surprised by his early success, adding, “I spent a lot of time in the gym. I have confidence in my game.”

The Hornets played without P.J. Washington, a late scratch because of a foot strain.

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UP NEXT

Wizards: At Milwaukee on Friday night.

Hornets: Open a four-game trip Sunday at Orlando.

2023-11-26

Hornets Done In By Defense Again, Ball Exits Early With Injury

Sam Perley, NBA.com/Hornets

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Charlotte Goes Cold from the Line, Turnovers Also Prove Costly Down in Orlando

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Defensive issues and too many missed free throws drove the Charlotte Hornets to a 130-117 setback in Orlando on Sunday evening, a loss further compounded by LaMelo Ball sustaining a right ankle injury shortly before halftime.

Miles Bridges posted his third straight double-double in the defeat, finishing with team-high totals in both points (23 on 9-of-17 shooting) and rebounds (10). Terry Rozier made his first appearance since Nov. 4 following a nine-game absence, tallying 22 points on 9-of-15 shooting and a game-high nine assists.

Orlando fought back from Charlotte shooting a quarterly season-best 68.2% in the opening frame to win the second, 36-24, and take a four-point halftime lead. Ball’s injury occurred with about two-and-a-half minutes left in the first half, after he came down awkwardly on a driving layup and was later ruled out with a right ankle strain. The Hornets stayed within single digits until an 18-6 Magic run midway through the fourth put the game away for good.

Joining Bridges and Rozier in the 20-point club was Brandon Miller (20), marking his third career 20-point performance and second in four outings. The Hornets shot well from the field (53.0%) and 3-point range (43.3%, 13-of-30), but missed nine free throws (16-of-25; 64.0%) and committed 18 turnovers for 28 Magic points going in the opposite direction.

“[We] were more than good enough offensively to win,” said Hornets Head Coach Steve Clifford afterwards. “Our defense in the first half, for the most part in the halfcourt, was good. We didn’t get back on defense. The turnovers hurt us, but we have to be more committed to defending in the halfcourt. That’s it. We’ve now played 15 games and in 13 of them, we’ve been more than good enough offensively to win them. We can’t pick and choose when we’re going to defend.”

Clifford was also quick to dismiss Ball’s injury (which hopefully isn’t anything too serious) as a significant factor in the loss, instead circling back to the team’s defensive shortcomings.

“Tonight, it was about the defense,” he added. “I’ve been in this league maybe 24, 25 years. I believe only twice has a team that’s not top-10 in the league defensively ever won [the title]. There’s been a few teams that haven’t been that good offensively that have won it. It’s fact. We have to defend, or you can have a good year, get to the games that matter and you’re going to have no shot. It happens every year to some teams because they don’t want to put the work in. We have to put the work in starting, like now.”

Franz Wagner and Cole Anthony both scored a season-high 30 points for the Magic, which shot 54.0% and amassed 74 paint points for its seventh consecutive victory. This is the first time that Orlando has had two separate players record 30-point showings in the same game since Wagner and Paolo Banchero – who had 23 points, seven rebounds and eight assists in this one – did so against Sacramento on Nov. 5, 2022, per Stathead.com.

The Hornets will continue their road trip and close out In-Season Tournament Group Play against the New York Knicks on Tuesday, Nov. 28 starting a 7:30 PM ET at Madison Square Garden. Follow all the action on Bally Sports Southeast and WFNZ 92.7 FM.

2023-11-28

Knicks Get Best Of Hornets Again, Offense Sputters Without Ball

Sam Perley, NBA.com/Hornets

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Charlotte Records New Season Lows for Points, Free-Throw Attempts in IST Eliminator

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The Charlotte Hornets entered Tuesday night’s In-Season Tournament Group Play finale at Madison Square Garden with some extremely slim odds to advance to the Knockout Round. Those faint Quarterfinal dreams ended up being completely squashed for good in the second half of a 115-91 loss to the hometown New York Knicks.

Brandon Miller fought through a second quarter left ankle sprain to finish with a team-high 18 points – 4-of-8 from 3-point range – three rebounds and two assists over 36 minutes. Mark Williams notched his seventh seasonal double-double and third in four games, racking up 12 points on 5-of-9 shooting and a team-high 12 rebounds, six of which were offensive.

Charlotte’s offense without LaMelo Ball – currently sidelined with a right ankle sprain he suffered in Orlando two days ago – was understandably a little discombobulated to start, perhaps contributing to nine first-half turnovers and a 53-44 halftime lead for the Knicks. The deficit got whittled to one early in the third, but New York later ripped off a 26-7 stretch bridging the last two quarters to put the contest away.

The Hornets fell short in several pivotal areas in this one, which happened to be their third loss to New York in eight overall outings since Nov. 12. They established new season lows for total points and free-throw attempts (seven), lost the glass by 13 (54-41), committed 17 turnovers for 23 points the other way, and shot only 50.0% in the paint (21-of-42). In fact, Charlotte shot better from 3-point range (13-of-31; 41.9%), than it did from inside the arc (24-of-58; 41.3%).

“Their [New York] defense is great,” said Hornets Head Coach Steve Clifford. “We had better luck as the game went on, with being more patient, moving the ball, trying to get their size out of the lane, which to start the game, we didn’t have a lot of. A lot of it was them and then poor decision-making by us. Some of its sloppiness, some of its they’re really good on defense.”

He elaborated on New York, “The biggest thing without watching the film is we’re just not organized. The Knicks are as organized as any team in the league. They have a way to play, they play that way, they don’t give possessions away, and that’s what we have to get to.”

Charlotte emptied its bench with about five minutes left in the fourth quarter, allowing James Bouknight (five points on 2-of-3 shooting) to make his season debut. Not having Ball isn’t the end all, be all, but his presence – or lack thereof – was certainly felt on the offensive end. “It’s crushing,” added Clifford, when asked about his latest injury. “We have to have everybody play well.”

Julius Randle led New York with 25 points on 8-of-15 shooting, a career-high-tying 20 rebounds, five assists and two steals in the win. Immanuel Quickley added another 23 points off the bench, his fourth 20-point showing in seven appearances. With the victory and a little help from elsewhere, the Knicks managed to secure the East’s Wild Card spot for the IST Knockout Round.

The Hornets will travel across town and close out their three-game road trip against the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday, Nov. 30 beginning at 7:30 PM ET at Barclays Center. Catch all the action on Bally Sports Southeast and WFNZ 92.7 FM.

2023-11-30

Rozier Goes Off For 37 PTS, Hornets Survive Scoring Fest In Brooklyn

Sam Perley, NBA.com/Hornets

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Charlotte Drains Season-High 21 3-Pointers to Help Overcome Nets’ 31 Second-Chance Points

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Down several key bodies once again, the Charlotte Hornets needed some big-time performances on Thursday night in Brooklyn, and they certainly got one from Terry Rozier in a thrilling back-and-forth 129-128 road victory over the Nets.

Without LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller in the backcourt, Rozier grabbed the reins and totaled a season-high 37 points – 10 in the fourth quarter – on 13-of-25 shooting, four rebounds, a career-high 13 assists and two steals in 40 minutes. He also knocked down 7-of-9 3-point attempts – more than doubling his season high – for his first-ever 35-point, 10-assist game.

Unlike two nights ago across town at MSG, scoring wasn’t hard to come by for the Hornets in this one. Charlotte erupted for a quarterly season-high 42 points in the second frame, knocking down 7-of-11 3-point attempts to take a 73-71 halftime lead (also a season-high for first-half points). All the way through the second half, it was tightly contested affair that featured neither side leading by more than five points over the entire 24-minute span.

Rozier’s pull-up 3-pointer broke a 120-120 tie with 2:38 left on the clock. Charlotte would then score on its next three possessions – a Gordon Hayward fadeaway, two Rozier free throws and then another Rozier step-back jumper– to keep its three-point lead alive. After Nic Claxton dropped in a put-back layup, Rozier narrowly missed a retaliatory step-back with eight seconds to go, leading to a transition chance for the hosts. Fortunately, Cam Johnson’s wide-open, likely-game-winning 3-pointer clanged off the rim into Mark Williams’ hands as the horn sounded.

“Just effort, intensity,” said Rozier, when asked afterwards about what keyed the victory. “Coach said this morning that even with all our guys out, if we make the effort winning plays, that we’d win this game. It’s something we have to stick by with all these guys being hurt. We just tried to pick up the slack as much as we could. I am a point guard, so I just tried to be comfortable with the guys and do what I can for us to win.”

Miles Bridges (23) and Gordon Hayward (22) both tallied 20-point showings, and Williams (12 points and 12 rebounds) double-doubled for the fourth time in five games. Bryce McGowens got the start for Miller, finishing with a season-high 14 points on 5-of-7 shooting and career-high four 3-pointers. Rookie Nick Smith Jr. (nine points) also had a new career high for the second consecutive game.

Charlotte notched new season highs for 3-point field goals (21) and 3-point percentage (58.3%), sank all 16 free-throw attempts and committed only nine turnovers, six of which came in the first quarter. That long distance clip is now the highest single-game mark in franchise history on at least 35 attempts (previous: 57.5% vs. Minnesota on Nov. 26, 2021, per Stathead). The Hornets needed every one of those makes, too, with Brooklyn wrangling 22 offensive rebounds – the most by a Charlotte opponent this season by seven – for 31 second-chance points.

“This was not a recipe for how we’re going to win NBA games,” added Hornets Head Coach Steve Clifford. “The number one thing is did you win or lose? We’re not going to make 21 threes every night. We were minus-11 on the glass and if you give up that many fast-break points (20), you’re not going to win many games. It’s a great win. The most important thing was we fought hard and made the plays at the end of the game.”

Cam Thomas returned from a nine-game absence to lead the Nets with 26 points off the bench, while Mikal Bridges (22) and Claxton (20) also crossed the 20-point threshold. Claxton then added 14 rebounds – a career-high nine offensive – for this third double-double of the year. With the loss, Brooklyn saw its three-game winning streak and five-game winning streak against Charlotte both come to an end.

The Hornets will now return home to battle the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday, Dec. 2 beginning at 5 PM ET at Spectrum Center. Follow all the action on Bally Sports Southeast and WFNZ 92.7 FM.

2023-11-17

Bucks Break Away After 2nd Quarter To Beat Hornets

Sam Perley, NBA.com/Hornets

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Ball Notches Season-High 37 PTS, Bridges Returns, Charlotte Likely Eliminated from IST

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A massive difference in 3-point shooting was a critical factor in the Charlotte Hornets falling to the Milwaukee Bucks, 130-99, on Friday night at Spectrum Center, likely ending their In-Season Tournament chances.

LaMelo Ball poured in a season-high 37 points – one off his career high – on 12-of-28 shooting, five rebounds and five assists in the loss. His consecutive 25-point game streak climbed to six, now the longest by Charlotte player since Kemba Walker’s six-game streak from Feb. 26 – March 8, 2017, and tied for the third-longest overall in franchise history, per Stathead.com.

For the second straight game, Charlotte’s offense was clicking out of the gates, leading to a 37-28 advantage after the opening quarter. Milwaukee would fight back though, winning the next two frames by 20 collective points while shooting 55.0% and 66.7% from 3-point range (12-of-18) over the 24-minute span. The Hornets got as close as six early in the fourth, before a 21-7 run by the Bucks over the ensuing six minutes sealed their fate for good.

Charlotte shot 40.1% and converted only 6-of-23 from 3-point range (23.1%), with the final three quarters featuring a 2-of-18 long-distance clip. Brook Lopez’s (six blocks) sensational rim protection helped limit the Hornets to just 48 paint points on 24-of-49 shooting and the team’s final assist total (18) was only one more than the current seasonal low.

“We had a great first quarter where the ball moved, went side to side, but we were inside-out,” said Hornets Head Coach Steve Clifford. “We created a lot of good shots. Sometimes when the ball’s going in the basket, we stop doing it. I took a timeout, and I told them that I think we went seven possessions where not once did we pass more than once. I don’t think it hit the paint other than we had a play where we tried to score over Lopez, which is not going to be a wise decision. I think we went from like 11 up to four down in like seven possessions because we weren’t taking good shots, and then they were running down the other way and scoring. You’ve got to know what’s working, you’ve got to stay with it, and that’s what we didn’t do.”

The biggest storyline coming into the game was Miles Bridges making his first NBA appearance since the team’s Play-In Game loss in Atlanta way back on April 13, 2022. All things considered, Bridges looked impressive out on the floor, finishing with 17 points on 6-of-13 shooting, five rebounds, four assists and two steals in over 33 minutes off the bench.

“It was great,” said Bridges, when asked about the crowd’s response when he checked into the game. “I missed these fans. I didn’t know what to expect. I was just happy to go out there and be able to play. I know we lost the game, but it was good to be in front of the fans again. I always feel like I can do better. I know I had time off, but I felt good, so there’s really no excuses. I can definitely play better defensively, so next game, I’m going to try and fix that.”

Damian Lillard scored 27 points – 18 coming in the third quarter – on 9-of-18 shooting and fellow starter Malik Beasley added another 20 points. These two guards combined to shoot 11-of-20 on 3-point attempts, accounting for exactly half of Milwaukee’s season-high 22-of-45 makes from behind the arc (48.9%).

The Hornets will close out their all-home back-to-back against the New York Knicks on Saturday, Nov. 18 beginning at 6 PM ET at Spectrum Center. Catch all the action on Bally Sports Southeast and WFNZ 92.7 FM.