2024-03-03
Charlotte’s Comeback Chances Thwarted By Transition Defense, Late Execution
Sam Perley, NBA.com/Hornets
Miller Records First Career Double-Double, Toronto Pours in 26 Decisive Fast-Break Points
The Charlotte Hornets were about a minute away from pulling off one of their best come-from-behind victories of the season on Sunday evening in Toronto. Then, suddenly, everything just fell apart in what turned into a tough-to-swallow 111-106 road loss to the hometown Raptors.
Transition defense was a major problem all night long for the Hornets, who allowed 26 fast-break points to Toronto, the NBA leader in this category. Charlotte was also forced to go small and start Grant Williams at the five and Vasilije Micić at point guard, with Nick Richards and Cody Martin both now sidelined with injuries.
Propped up by some early paint scoring, Charlotte had a 41-33 lead midway through the second quarter, before its offense went dry and Toronto closed the frame on 19-7 run for a four-point halftime cushion. The Raptors’ advantage progressively grew in the second half and finally peaked at 15 with 10:50 remaining on the game clock. But the visitors would respond thanks to a sizzling 28-12 stretch that briefly put them ahead, 103-102, at the 1:06 mark of the fourth.
But the new-found momentum quickly came to an abrupt stop. Defensive fouls by Grant Williams and Dāvis Bertāns on Toronto’s next two possessions led to four Immanuel Quickley free throws. In between the infractions, Miles Bridges missed a long pull-up jumper, which was later followed by Bertāns’ unsuccessful game-tying corner 3-point attempt. The Hornets eventually found one last chance to tie the score in the closing seconds, but Gary Trent Jr. made an outstanding rip-away steal on Micić to extinguish their chances.
“Not running back on defense in the third quarter was the difference in the game,” stated Hornets Head Coach Steve Clifford afterwards. “You’re not going to win many NBA games when the other team has 26 fast break points. We got a tough call there (on the Bertāns foul), to me, down one. The last play is the last play, but we lost because we didn’t run back on defense. The transition defense was terrible. When you’re giving up that many open threes and layups in transition, you’re just not going to win.”
Brandon Miller tallied a game-high 26 points and 10 rebounds for his first career NBA double-double, becoming the first Charlotte rookie with a 25-10 game since Michael Kidd-Gilchrist on Dec. 19, 2012 (Basketball Reference). Bridges added 20 points – 16 in the third quarter – and nine rebounds, while Williams amassed 18 points, a career-high 13 rebounds and five assists for his sixth career double-double and first career 15-10-5 performance.
Toronto, which won its seventh straight home meeting against the Hornets, was playing for the first time since All-Star Scottie Barnes fractured his left hand two days ago. On top of that, starting center Jakob Poeltl exited late in the second quarter with a dislocated left pinkie finger and did not return. RJ Barrett (23) and Quickley (22) each had 20-point showings in the win, with the latter chipping in seven rebounds and a season-high-tying 11 assists. Trent scored 17 points, 11 of which came in a four-minute-or-so span in the middle of the third quarter.
The Hornets will head back to the Queen City for a one-game homestand against the Orlando Magic on Tuesday, March 5 beginning at 7 PM ET. Follow all the action on Bally Sports Southeast and WFNZ 92.7 FM.