Charlotte Hornets

2023-12-02

Minnesota’s Big Men Take Control, Put Away Hornets Late In Fourth

Sam Perley, NBA.com/Hornets

Offense Keeps Clicking, But Lack of Physicality Hurts Charlotte Again on Defense, Glass

Giving up a whole bunch of second-chance points nearly did the Charlotte Hornets in two nights ago in Brooklyn. Back home on Saturday evening, they struggled again on the defensive glass and this time, paid the price in a 123-117 loss to a big, physical Minnesota Timberwolves squad.

Terry Rozier (23) and Miles Bridges (22) both had 20-point showings in the loss, with PJ Washington adding 18 points on 7-of-14 shooting, seven rebounds and a season-high-tying five assists in 31 reserve minutes. Gordon Hayward (17), Brandon Miller (14) and Mark Williams (11) made it six Hornets players with double-digit points, one away from matching the season high.

Charlotte’s offense got going as the first half progressed, mixing in some smaller lineups to win the second quarter, 36-32, and enter the midway break down three. Both sides swapped good-sized runs in the third, making it a one-point Minnesota advantage heading into the fourth.

Later, with Charlotte ahead 109-108 and about three minutes remaining, Troy Brown Jr. ripped down an offensive rebound and soon canned a second-chance 3-pointer to begin a 7-0 Minnesota run. With roughly 60 seconds to go and the Hornets down three, Rudy Gobert stuffed Nick Richards’ four-foot hook shot, leading to transition and-1 for Mike Conley. This sequence essentially ended Charlotte’s chances following its ensuing empty possession.

Charlotte’s offense shot 47.8% and 48% from 3-point range (12-of-25) against the NBA’s top-ranked defensive team, plus had only eight turnovers. While the Timberwolves won the glass by just four (41-37), they converted 10 offensive boards into 22 second-chance points on 8-of-11 shooting and dropped in 26-of-30 free-throw attempts (86.7%).

“We played hard. We’ve been playing with good energy,” said Hornets Head Coach Steve Clifford afterwards. “If you do three things in this league – defend without fouling, which takes discipline and technique, run back on defense every time, which takes zero talent and if you’ll block out with physicality on every shot – all those things take not a lot of talent. They do take physicality, they take effort and you’ve got to be smart about it. Tonight, it’s the same thing… We lost because we’re not physical enough, we get outworked on the glass, and we foul.”

Added Hayward, when asked about the transition and second-chance defense, “Certainly, I think at times it’s a lack of focus, because I think we are playing hard out there. If you forget for half a second, as soon as you do that, it’s too late – your guy’s too fast and too big in this league, and all they need is a step. We lose focus on what we’re supposed to be doing for whatever reason. Sometimes you’re thinking about offense too much, thinking about a missed shot or a turnover or whatever it may be, and you didn’t get the ball. It’s that half a second that causes, sometimes, the layups or dunks.”

Minnesota got 20-point games from its big man trio of Karl-Anthony Towns (28), Gobert (season-high 26) and Naz Reid (23) in the win, its second in the past eight head-to-head meetings with Charlotte. Gobert also tallied a game-high 12 rebounds and three blocks for his 14th yearly double-double, while Conley (14 points, season-high-tying 10 assists) had his second.

The Hornets will have three full days off before taking on the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday, Dec. 6 beginning at 8 PM ET at the United Center. Follow all the action on Bally Sports Southeast and WFNZ 92.7 FM.

2023-12-13

Heat’s Halftime-Spanning Run Sinks Hornets In Miami

Sam Perley, NBA.com/Hornets

Charlotte Troubled by Season-High 21 Turnovers; PJ Washington Suffers Shoulder Injury

Third time wouldn’t be the charm for the Charlotte Hornets in round three of their season series with the Miami Heat on Wednesday night, thanks to a massive number of turnovers in the 115-104 road loss.

Terry Rozier went off late again, putting up 28 points – 12 in the fourth quarter – on 10-of-14 shooting (5-of-6 from 3-point range), seven assists and a season-high four steals, good for his 12th 20-point game in 13 appearances this year. Gordon Hayward (20 points and seven assists) had 20-plus for the fourth time in six outings, 16 of which coming in the opening half.

Charlotte held a 45-43 lead with 3:43 remaining in the second quarter, then surrendered a scolding 19-0 Heat run that blazed through halftime to fall back by 17. Miami continued to capitalize on takeaways over the next 12 minutes, pushing the advantage to 21 by the start of the closing frame. The Hornets made a couple solid pushes here and there, getting no closer than nine with about 90 seconds to go in the contest.

When it was all over, Charlotte clocked in with a season-high 21 turnovers going for 32 points in the other direction. Miami also had a new season high as well, coughing up 23 possessions leading into a relatively harmless 13 opposing points. The Hornets got dominated on the glass again, 47-31, which included a 17-4 offensive rebounding differential in favor of Miami.

“They’re (Miami) good at creating a lot of turnovers,” said Hornets Head Coach Steve Clifford afterwards. “I think we had eight in the first quarter. We were better in the second quarter until the end. Turnovers are crushing. You’re not getting shots. They did a good job turning them into [points] the other way. The same thing happened the other night at home. We weren’t disorganized at all. We just had some careless turnovers, they’re good at it and made us pay.”

Miles Bridges tallied 19 points and Brandon Miller recovered from a tough first half to finish with 18 points (16 on 6-of-8 shooting in the second half). The latter also drained multiple 3-pointers for the eighth consecutive game (4-of-10), giving him the longest streak by an NBA rookie this season and the longest by a rookie in franchise history. On the injury front, PJ Washington played about four minutes before exiting the game in the first quarter (left shoulder).

Just like he did Monday night in Charlotte, Duncan Robinson led the Heat in scoring again, finishing with 23 points on a 6-of-9 clip from 3-point range. Kyle Lowry added 17 points on perfect shooting from the field (5-of-5) and free-throw line (3-of-3), while rookie Jaime Jaquez Jr. also scored 17 to help Miami notch its fifth straight head-to-head home win over the Hornets.

The Hornets will return home to start an all-home back-to-back against the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday, Dec. 15 beginning at 7 PM ET at Spectrum Center. Catch all the action on Bally Sports Southeast and WFNZ 92.7 FM.

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2023-12-06

Cold Shooting, 3rd-Quarter Turnovers Cost Hornets In Windy City

Sam Perley, NBA.com/Hornets

Hayward Ties Season High, Richards Makes Start, Second Half Gets Away from Charlotte

Putting up points hadn’t been a major issue for the Charlotte Hornets over the past couple weeks until their offense finally hit a wall in Wednesday night’s 111-100 loss in Chicago.

Gordon Hayward kept the visitors within striking distance, finishing the evening with a season-high-tying 27 points – 12 in the first quarter – on 10-of-18 shooting, four rebounds, four assists and two steals. Terry Rozier was right behind him in the scoring column, coming on late for 25 points – 14 in the fourth – on 10-of-24 shooting, five rebounds and a game-high seven assists.

Hayward’s 19 first-half points – also a seasonal high for any half – helped the Hornets wipe away most of a 16-point second-quarter deficit to enter halftime down by only four. The proximity didn’t last long though, as Chicago blew the game wide open by winning the ensuing frame, 35-20, giving Charlotte a new season low for third-quarter point differential (-15). The Hornets made a respectable charge towards the end of the fourth, but never got any closer than eight.

Mark Williams (lower back contusion) missed his first game of the season, pushing Nick Richards (six points, 11 rebounds and three blocks) into the starting lineup. Charlotte’s downsized lineups somewhat understandably got crushed on the glass, 57-42, which included a season-high 21 offensive rebounds for Chicago. Seventeen giveaways – six coming in that pivotal third quarter – didn’t make things any easier on the Hornets and neither did a 10-of-37 clip from deep (27%).

“The feel without watching the film was obviously the turnovers in the second half,” said Hornets Head Coach Steve Clifford afterwards, when asked what stood out about the loss. “I felt like that was how the game slipped away. They’re (Chicago) good at that. First half, I felt like we were pretty solid with it and then we came right out in the third quarter and turnovers led directly to points for them. We struggled to shoot the ball in the first three quarters… but I would say the turnovers were the biggest issue.”

Chicago got a game-high 29-points courtesy of DeMar DeRozan and a 20-point, 12-rebound double-double for Montenegrin big man Nikola Vučević. Coby White added 19 points filling in for the injured Zach LaVine (right foot discomfort) for the third consecutive game. The hosts cleaned up at the free-throw line too, going 23-of-29 (79.3%), while the Hornets were 12-of-12.

Charlotte fell to 1-4 against the Bulls since the start of last season – 100-or-fewer points in all four of those defeats – and is now 2-9 in the head-to-head series dating back to the beginning of the 2020-21 campaign. Chicago has won three straight games for the first time this season after dropping eight of its previous nine outings.

The Hornets will now return home to host the Toronto Raptors on Friday, Dec. 8 beginning at 7 PM ET at Spectrum Center. Follow all the action on Bally Sports Southeast and WFNZ 92.7 FM.

2023-12-08

Hornets Recover From Blowing 20-Point Lead, Squeak Out Last-Second Win

Sam Perley, NBA.com/Hornets

Four Charlotte Players Score 20+ PTS; Rozier Makes Big Shot, Free Throws in Final 22 Seconds

What once looked like possibly the first blowout win for the Charlotte Hornets this season quickly started spiraling towards disaster halfway through the fourth quarter. Fortunately, the hosts righted themselves just in the nick of time, then held on for a 119-116 home victory over the Toronto Raptors on Friday night at Spectrum Center.

Gordon Hayward (24), Miles Bridges (22), Terry Rozier (21) and Brandon Miller (20) all notched 20-point performances, becoming the first Hornet quartet to all score 20-or-more points in the same game since Feb. 13, 2023, per Stathead. Rozier also dished out a career-high-tying 13 assists for the second time in four outings, good for his second double-double of the year.

Charlotte was clicking from the get-go, allowing a season-low 22 first-quarter points to take a season-high 13-point lead through the opening 12 minutes. That advantage spiked to 20 in the second quarter, but Toronto pulled itself right back in it with six takeaways in the frame and entered halftime down by 12. Behind 13 entering the fourth, the Raptors roared into the closing quarter on a 24-6 run to flip the script and take a five-point lead with six minutes to go.

The Hornets regrouped following a timeout, sparking an 8-2 stretch to retake a 104-103 lead. Still up one a few minutes later, Miller splashed a 27-footer from the left wing to make it a four-point game. An overturned offensive foul on the next possession and a Rozier jumper with 22 seconds continued to keep the Hornets out in front. Toronto got a break though, thanks to a so-so Rozier shooting foul on Scottie Barnes’ late 3-point attempt. He would make just two of three freebies, Rozier countered with two of his own, and Barnes had a clean 3-point miss to end it.

“To me, that was the most impressive thing,” said Hornets Head Coach Steve Clifford, when asked about the team regrouping in the fourth. “They had momentum. [We kept] good composure, made a lot of big plays. They’re hard to play against. They’re long, they’re quick, they’ve got a bunch of really good individual defenders, and they create turnovers.”

Added Hayward, “We hit some big shots. That settled us a little bit and we were able to get some stops to close the game. Certainly not the way we wanted to win. When you’re up that big, you want to close out the game, but they have veteran guys that have been through it, so they weren’t going to give up. Just a gutsy win by us, happy that we got the win.”

Nick Richards had a near-season-high 15 points and eight rebounds off the bench, while PJ Washington added 11 points and had the key one-on-one stop on Barnes’ 3-point attempt at the final buzzer. Charlotte shot a season-best 55.7%, went 52% from 3-point range (13-of-25) – its second-best mark of the campaign – and was nearly perfect from the line (18-of-20; 90%).

Barnes came a point away from tying his career high, finishing with 31 on 12-of-18 shooting, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists for his third NBA triple-double and second of the year. Pascal Siakam notched 25 points – 14 in the second quarter – while Precious Achiuwa totaled a season-high 17 points and a season-high-tying 10 rebounds off the bench for his second yearly double-double.

Both sides had dropped four of five coming into the game. For Charlotte, the win snapped a four-game losing streak to Toronto in the head-to-head series (swept in all four contests last year by an average of 15.5 points) and was just its fourth over the Raptors in 14 meetings.

The Hornets will have the weekend off before taking on the Miami Heat on Monday, Dec. 11 starting at 7 PM ET at Spectrum Center. Catch all the action on Bally Sports Southeast and WFNZ 92.7 FM.

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.

2023-12-15

Hornets Recover From Slow Start, Pelicans Prevail For Late Victory

Sam Perley, NBA.com/Hornets

Rozier, Bridges Get Hot in 2nd Half; Mensah Makes NBA Debut, Charlotte Continues to Foul

Too little first-half scoring and too much fourth-quarter fouling sealed the deal for the Charlotte Hornets in their 112-107 home loss to the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday night.

Terry Rozier led the hosts with a game-high 30 points – 24 coming in the second half – and six assists, good for his third 30-point game and 13th 20-point game in 14 appearances this season. Miles Bridges also came on strong at the end, finishing with 27 points – 20 in the second half – and 10 rebounds for his fourth double-double of the campaign.

Following a ho-hum start by both sides, the Pelicans broke a 37-37 tie with a 13-2 second quarter-closing run to enter halftime ahead by 11. Charlotte wound up forcing seven turnovers in the third to take the frame, 37-26, and level the contest at 76 with 12 minutes to play. The score yo-yoed in favor of New Orleans throughout the fourth, though the Hornets navigated through some ongoing foul issues and kept on fighting.

Back-to-back 3-pointers by Bridges and Rozier in the final minute made it a 107-104 Pelicans’ lead with 26 seconds left. An intentional foul sent Herb Jones to the line, where he made the first, missed the second, then corralled the offensive rebound to extend the possession. His two ensuing freebies bumped the Pelicans’ advantage to six, essentially ending the game. Having now dropped seven of nine, the Hornets are also 1-7 at home against New Orleans since the start of the 2016-17 season.

“I think they helped, they’re long,” said Hornets Head Coach Steve Clifford afterwards, when asked about the team’s 39-point first half, its fewest total in any half this season. “We didn’t do a good job moving the defense, but we made really poor decisions in the paint, too – not playing off two feet, not playing under control, not looking for the kickout 3-point attempts.”

Nick Richards tied a season high with 16 points, while rookie Brandon Miller also had 16 points. Fouling remained a troublesome spot for the Hornets, particularly for their frontcourt. The team was whistled for 24 infractions and was minus-11 in both free throws made (16) and attempted (21). With no Mark Williams or PJ Washington, recent two-way signee Nathan Mensah made his NBA debut, tallying two points and seven rebounds before fouling out in 13 minutes.

Added Clifford on the fouling, “They were in the bonus right away [in the fourth] which hurt us. Nick got his fifth with nine and a half, 10 [minutes to go]. Then obviously, we don’t block out on the free throws, so that gave them the extra possession. The big thing in the fourth was getting into foul trouble early. It’s hard but you’ve got to play with discipline. It’s doable.”

Punctuating the box score for New Orleans was Jonas Valančiūnas, who amassed a season-high 29 points on 11-of-16 shooting, a game-high 13 rebounds, four assists and two blocks for his 13th double-double of the year. Zion Williamson (21 points and 11 rebounds) also crossed the 20-point barrier, while CJ McCollum (19) nearly did so, as well.

The Hornets will close out their all-home back-to-back against the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday, Dec. 16 starting at 7 PM ET at Spectrum Center. Catch all the action on Bally Sports Southeast and WFNZ 92.7 FM.

2023-12-16

Hornets Have All-Time Night To Forget In Latest Loss To 76ers

Sam Perley, NBA.com/Hornets

Injuries, Absences Keep Stacking Up, Embiid Way Too Much for Charlotte to Contain

There’s really not much to say about the Charlotte Hornets’ 135-82 home loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday night other than it was an absolute complete and total clunker of a performance. So much so, that it broke the record for the largest loss in franchise history (53), topping a 50-point drubbing dished out by the Milwaukee Bucks on Jan. 10, 2000 (137-87).

LaMelo Ball, Gordon Hayward, Mark Williams, and PJ Washington were all unavailable for the Hornets, who also lost Terry Rozier to a nose injury in the third quarter. Brandon Miller (14) and Bryce McGowens (12) were the only Charlotte players to score in double figures. Miller also went 2-of-4 from behind the arc to extend his consecutive games with multiple 3-pointers streak to 10, now tied for the eighth-longest run by a rookie in NBA history.

Facing a deep 76ers squad that had literally zero players out with injury, the cards were stacked against Charlotte right from the opening tip. Joel Embiid (18 points) outscored the hosts (17) by himself in the opening quarter, giving Philadelphia a 33-17 lead through the opening 12 minutes. It only got worse for the Hornets from there, as the deficit hit 29 at halftime, 41 by the end of third and then 53 when the game finally (and mercifully) came to an end.

“The overall story of the game would be more about the guys that didn’t play than did,” said Hornets Head Coach Steve Clifford afterwards. “There’re always things you can learn from a game. Look, we’ve got to get our guys back. It’s a brutal stretch… this week and the next two weeks. If you look at the upcoming schedule, it’s going to be hard. We’re not sure when those guys will come back. We’ve got to find a way to win enough so that when we get everybody at full strength and then a little time to kind of get a game together, that we’re not too far out.”

Using their ninth different starting lineup of the year, the Hornets shot a season-low 36.3% (33-of-91) and went 7-of-35 from 3-point range (20.0%), The 82 points matched their fewest in a game since the start of the 2020-21 NBA season (lost to the 76ers, 121-82, at home on March 17, 2023). The 53-point defeat also shattered the team record for the largest home loss (40), which was set on the first-ever Opening Night on Nov. 4, 1988 (lost to Cleveland, 133-93).

Embiid checked out of the game for good near the end of the third quarter, finishing with monstrous game-high totals in both points (42 on 18-of-23 shooting) and rebounds (15). This victory bumped the reigning MVP’s career record against the Hornets to a nearly perfect 17-1. Tyrese Maxey added 21 points – all of which came in the first half – while Tobias Harris (15) and former-Hornet Kelly Oubre Jr. (12) also reached double figures in the 76ers’ sixth straight win.

The Hornets will now embark on a two-game road trip starting with the Toronto Raptors on Monday, Dec. 18 beginning at 7:30 PM ET. Follow all the action on Bally Sports Southeast and WFNZ 92.7 FM.

2023-12-18

Toronto Turns Tables At Start Of 4th Quarter To Beat Hornets

All Five Charlotte Starters Score 10+ PTS, Late Rebounding Problems Prove Quite Costly

Playing with a severely depleted rotation once again, the Charlotte Hornets held tough until the action trickled into the fourth quarter of their eventual 114-99 loss in Toronto on Monday night.

Each of the five players in Charlotte’s 10th different starting lineup of the season scored in double figures – Terry Rozier (22), PJ Washington (15), Bryce McGowens (14), Brandon Miller (14) and Nick Richards (10). Richards also snagged 10 rebounds for his third double-double of the season and first since back on Nov. 14.

While Washington (shoulder) returned from a two-game absence, Charlotte was still without LaMelo Ball, Gordon Hayward, Mark Williams and now Miles Bridges along with three others. The Hornets got off to an energetic start anyways, forcing 11 first-half Raptors turnovers to help build a 52-48 lead by the mid-way point. Toronto finally clawed back in front with about three minutes to go in the third, but the Hornets managed to regain a two-point cushion heading into the fourth. A 16-6 Toronto run to open the closing frame began separating the two sides, as the Hornets briefly only got as close as four over the game’s final seven minutes.

Charlotte’s offense went ice cold in the fourth (35%, 0-of-8 from 3-point range), but the most problematic area was easily the rebounding. Despite starting center Jakob Poeltl sitting out the final 12 minutes, Toronto was +14 on the glass (20-6) and had 14 second-chance points (only six in the first three quarters) to go along with 22 points in the paint.

“I thought our guys competed great,” said Hornets Head Coach Steve Clifford. “Toronto’s defense in the fourth quarter was really good to me. We struggled to get good shots. They got some fast break points, which hurt us, but the second-chance points in the fourth quarter were the biggest difference. The effort’s good – we just have to learn from it. We have things we need to work on, and we’ll see it when we watch the film.”

The Hornets finished minus-15 in the rebounding battle (51-36) overall, though did score 23 points off 19 Raptors turnovers. Washington also drained three 3-pointers to push his career total to 500, making him the seventh player in franchise history to reach this milestone.

Pascal Siakam (27), Scottie Barnes (22) and Gary Trent Jr. (season-high 22) all had 20-point showings for Toronto, which won its six consecutive home game against Charlotte (the first two of were played in Tampa during the 2020-21 season because of the COVID-19 pandemic). Barnes, who triple-doubled in Charlotte back on Dec. 8, also notched a career-high-tying 17 rebounds and seven assists, while Trent wrangled a career-high 10 rebounds for his first-ever NBA double-double.

The Hornets will close out their short two-game road trip against the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday, Dec. 20 beginning at 7 PM ET. Catch all the action on Bally Sports Southeast and WFNZ 92.7 FM.

2023-12-23

Hornets Nearly Overcome Catastrophic 3rd Quarter, Drop 7th Straight

Sam Perley, NBA.com/Hornets

Nick Smith Jr. Has Breakout Game, Martin Returns, More Injuries to Rozier and Miller

A dreadful momentum-shifting third quarter for the Charlotte Hornets turned out to be a tad too much to clean up in Saturday night’s 102-95 home loss to the Denver Nuggets.

Miles Bridges (22) and PJ Washington (20) both produced 20-point showings in the loss, with the latter pouring in 13 in the second quarter (season high for any quarter). The star of the night for the Hornets though was rookie Nick Smith Jr., who erupted for a career-high 19 points, 17 of which came in the fourth quarter on 6-of-8 shooting (5-of-6 from 3-point range).

There was some good injury news coming into the game with the long-awaited return of Cody Martin (left knee injury recovery) from an 11-month absence. But as one body reentered the rotation, two more hit the sidelines with Terry Rozier (right knee soreness) scratched before tipoff and Brandon Miller (right ankle sprain) exiting in the first quarter.

Charlotte played a pretty solid first half on both ends, taking a 60-54 lead into break. Everything went way off course in the third though, as Denver opened with a 25-1 run and won the frame, 30-9, to take a 15-point lead into the fourth. The Hornets shot a frigid 2-of-22 over the 12-minute span and didn’t make a basket until there were only 58 seconds left on the clock.

Still down 15 at the 8:41 mark of the fourth, the Hornets ripped off an 18-6 run – Smith went 4-of-4 from deep during this stretch – to trim Denver’s advantage down to three. A bunch of fruitless possessions soon followed though, as Charlotte managed just one single point over the final three-and-a-half minutes and lost for the ninth time in 10 meetings with Denver.

“In the first half, we had really good ball movement,” said Hornets Head Coach Steve Clifford. “We’re getting the ball going towards the basket, we had good unselfish play. In the third, we did none of it. We went down playing iso, the ball stayed on one side of the floor. They’re too good and too disciplined to get good shots that way. We had some open looks, then we had some drives that we didn’t finish. That, to me, and the turnovers, it’s hard to beat a good team when you turn the ball over that many times.”

Per Stathead, Smith became the fifth rookie in franchise history to have at least five 3-pointers off the bench and the only one overall since at least 1996-97 to have five in a single quarter. His 17 fourth-quarter points are also tied with Utah’s Keyonte George for the most by any NBA rookie in any quarter this season. Outside of Smith (5-of-7), the Hornets shot just 3-of-21 from 3-point range (14.3%) and committed 18 turnovers for 23 Denver points.

“I missed a few early,” said Smith, following his big night. “I just wanted to keep my rhythm and just keep taking the open ones. Just having movement on offense, that’s my biggest thing. My teammates found me, and I was able to knock down some shots.”

Michael Porter Jr. scored a team-high 22 points to lead the Nuggets to their seventh victory in eight outings. Jamal Murray (20 points and career-high-tying 12 rebounds) and Nikola Jokić (18 points and 10 rebounds) each double-doubled. The two-time Serbian MVP Jokić was also one assist shy from notching his 11th triple-double of the campaign. With the win, Denver improved its record to 6-1 on the second night of back-to-backs this year.

The Hornets will now embark on a season-long six-game road trip starting with the LA Clippers on Tuesday, Dec. 26 beginning at 10:30 PM ET. Catch all the action on Bally Sports Southeast and WFNZ 92.7 FM.

2023-12-20

Hornets’ Defense Run Off The Floor By Fast-Paced Pacers

Sam Perley, NBA.com/Hornets

Rozier Scores 25 and Passes Glen Rice, Charlotte Allows Season-High 144 PTS in Indiana

Even with a few more bodies available, the Charlotte Hornets couldn’t come close to curbing the Indiana Pacers’ high-octane offense in Wednesday night’s 144-113 road loss.

Terry Rozier got within striking distance of a triple double in the loss, finishing with a game-high-tying 25 points, a season-high nine rebounds and seven assists over 35 minutes of play. During the first quarter, Rozier’s sixth point moved him into fifth place on the franchise’s all-time scoring leaderboard (now at 5,672 points), passing three-time NBA All-Star Glen Rice.

Both sides started off going back and forth as the first half progressed, though it was Indiana that ended the second quarter on a 13-4 run to take a 71-60 halftime advantage. The Pacers’ dribble-penetration-based offense kept pumping in the third, getting 19 points from Buddy Hield in the frame to go up by 19 heading into the fourth. Charlotte simply had no answers – especially on the defensive end – the rest of the way, securing its sixth consecutive defeat.

“They’re (Indiana) a handful and they’re good,” said Hornets Head Coach Steve Clifford on Bally Sports Southeast’s postgame broadcast. “You could tell right from the beginning that they were on it. Our first quarter was our best quarter and they had 31 [points]. The last two minutes of the first half were critical right there. We could never make it hard on them defensively. When they’re scoring like that, the fouling, the offensive rebounds, it weighs on you.”

Rookie Brandon Miller (21 points) notched his fifth career 20-point game and Miles Bridges added 19 points in his return from a one-game absence. Gordon Hayward was also back after missing the past two contests with a stomach virus, chipping in 11 points – 10 in the third quarter – on 3-of-5 shooting and three assists in just under 24 minutes.

Indiana shot 61.3% from the field – its second-highest single-game mark of the season – 18-of-39 from 3-point range (46.2%) and sank 28-of-30 free-throw attempts (93.3%). The Hornets’ efficiency wasn’t exactly terrible (47.4%, 25.8% on 3-point attempts), but nowhere near where it needed to be to keep up with the NBA’s leader in offensive rating and pace. The 144 points allowed were also a season high for a Charlotte opponent and tied for the third-highest opposing total in a regulation game in team history, per Stathead.

Hield finished with 25 points to help Indiana snap its four-game losing streak and tally just its third win in the past 11 head-to-head regular season meetings with Charlotte. Tyrese Haliburton (19 points and a game-high 13 assists) recorded his 18th double-double of the campaign and reserve Aaron Nesmith duplicated his 19-point showing on a perfect 6-of-6 shooting. Bench points were very one-sided as well, with the Pacers outscoring the Hornets, 70-33, in this area.

The Hornets will have a couple days off before hosting the reigning NBA Champion Denver Nuggets on Saturday, Dec. 23 beginning at 7 PM ET at Spectrum Center. Follow all the action on Bally Sports Southeast and WFNZ 92.7 FM.

2023-12-26

Clippers Lean On 3-Point Shooting, 4th-Quarter Surge To Down Hornets

Sam Perley, NBA.com/Hornets

Bridges, Richards Both Double-Double; Charlotte Loses Hayward, Struggles to Guard Harden

A chilly 3-point output and some late defensive breakdowns were just about the only two things that really went wrong for the Charlotte Hornets in their 113-104 road-trip-opening loss to the LA Clippers on Tuesday night.

Miles Bridges posted Hornets’ team highs in both points (21) and rebounds (11) for his fifth double-double of the campaign, while Nick Richards tallied 13 points and 10 rebounds for his second straight double-double and third in four games. Terry Rozier added 18 points, but it came on an inefficient 8-of-23 shooting clip and just 1-of-8 from 3-point range.

Trailing by 10 with 4:04 remaining in the third quarter, Charlotte’s offense finally got in gear, sparking a 24-7 run and a 91-84 advantage by the 9:29 mark of the fourth. The Clippers instantly responded with their own pendulum-swinging 19-2 stretch to retake that 10-point lead with four minutes to go. The deficit got halved to five about 60 seconds later, but that was as close as the Hornets got as they dropped their 14th consecutive road meeting with the Clippers.

A lot of the ground that Charlotte made up in the second half took place with James Harden – who finished with 29 points (20 in the first half), six 3-pointers, six rebounds, eight assists and a +20 plus-minus – sitting on the bench. When the 10-time All-Star reentered with eight minutes remaining in the fourth, everything shifted for both the Clippers’ offense and Hornets’ defense.

“James Harden was the best player in the game,” said Hornets Head Coach Steve Clifford following the loss. “When he was out, we took good advantage of it. When he came back in, we just couldn’t guard him. We tried everything we could do basically, and he crushed it. He was out and we were in good shape. He came in and the game changed. He got beat badly from the 3-point line and from the free-throw line, also.”

Charlotte finished a season-low-tying 6-of-29 from 3-point range (20.7%), with half those makes coming in an 11-2 run to open the fourth quarter (3-of-11 overall in the frame). The Clippers canned 14-of-34 attempts from deep (41.2%) – Harden and Paul George accounted for 11 of them – and made 19-of-25 from the charity stripe (Charlotte was 12-of-16).

In addition to LaMelo Ball, Mark Williams (lower back contusion) missed his eighth straight game and rookie Brandon Miller (right ankle sprain) sat out his third contest of the year. To make matters a little worse on the injury front, Gordon Hayward made his way to the locker room in the third quarter with a left calf strain and did not return.

Along with Harden, George (25) also crossed the 20-point threshold, while center Ivica Zubac had 18 points and 14 rebounds for his 10th double-double of the campaign. Russell Westbrook totaled 14 points and 11 rebounds off the bench, helping the Clippers – who were without leading-scorer Kawhi Leonard – snap a small two-game slide and move to 10-2 in December.

The Hornets will stay in the City of Angels for a couple days, then face the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday, Dec. 28 beginning at 10:30 PM ET. Follow all the action on Bally Sports Southeast and WFNZ 92.7 FM.

2023-12-28

Brutal 3rd-Quarter Showing Solidifies Hornets’ 9th Straight Loss In LA

Sam Perley, NBA.com/Hornets

Charlotte Comes Undone in the 2nd Half, Also Gets More Bad News on the Injury Front

It was a different day and different opponent, but the same building and same result for the Charlotte Hornets. After finishing nine back of the LA Clippers two days ago, the purple and teal had a dreadful third quarter in Thursday night’s 133-112 road loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.

For the third straight game, Miles Bridges led the Hornets in scoring with 20 points, although he struggled with his efficiency from the second quarter on (nine points on 3-of-15 shooting; 11 points on 4-of-5 shooting in the first). Terry Rozier was right behind him with 18 points and eight assists and Nick Richards had a career-high-tying third straight double-double (11 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks).

Trailing by only one at halftime, Charlotte conceded six turnovers, five and-1’s, a 12-0 Lakers run, and 12 points to both LeBron James and Rui Hachimura in the problematic third quarter, leading to a 99-80 deficit with one frame to go. The Hornets didn’t come close to climbing out of the massive hole they dug themselves in, trailing by as many as 28 in the fourth on their way to an eighth loss in 10 head-to-head meetings with Los Angeles.

“They came out and went zone [in the third quarter],” said Hornets Head Coach Steve Clifford following the team’s ninth straight loss, now its longest single season losing streak since the 2014-15 campaign. “It was part of the reason for the turnovers. Obviously, once we got down, we lost our way, lost our poise, got disorganized and that’s where a lot of the turnovers happened. We can’t turn the ball over and we must defend whether the ball’s going in or not. That’s what we stopped doing in the second half.”

Charlotte ended with 19 giveaways and allowed the Lakers to shoot 53.6% and 50.0% from 3-point range (15-of-30). Brandon Miller returned from a one-game absence to tally 17 points on 5-of-9 shooting, while Bryce McGowens (10 points) put all five Charlotte starters in double figures. McGowens got the start again in place of the injured Gordon Hayward, who will be sidelined for at least the next two weeks with a left calf strain he suffered on Tuesday evening.

Added Clifford, “Our guys have worked hard. They know we’re short-handed. This is a tough trip. A lot of times in this league, it’s not just how many injuries you have, but when they come. Unfortunately for us, we’ve had more than our share of injuries, and this is not the time to be short-handed.”

Anthony Davis poured in a game-high 26 points and eight rebounds to help the Lakers notch just their third win since claiming the In-Season Tournament title earlier this month. James and Hachimura both finished with 17 points, with D’Angelo Russell and Austin Reaves each totaling 16 points off the bench. For James, his mastery of the Hornets continued with this latest victory. Counting the postseason, he’s now 36-2 against Charlotte since the start of the 2010-11 season.

The Hornets will close out their all-road back-to-back against the Phoenix Suns on Friday, Dec. 29 beginning at 9 PM ET. Catch all the action on Bally Sports Southeast and WFNZ 92.7 FM.

2023-12-29

Rozier Rattles Career High, Hornets’ Defense Gets Burned By Suns

Sam Perley, NBA.com/Hornets

Charlotte Drains Season-Best 23 3-Pointers, But Losing Streak Reaches Double Figures

Here’s to hoping the Charlotte Hornets can leave their now 10-game losing streak in the year of 2023. On Friday night, they had absolutely no answers for the Phoenix Suns and their reunited superstar trio in a 133-119 road loss.

Terry Rozier brushed off a tough five-game stretch, erupting for a near career-high 42 points on 14-of-22 shooting – season-high-tying 8-of-12 from 3-point range – and eight assists. Brandon Miller added 20 points and drained a career-high 6-of-10 from deep, marking the seventh time in franchise history that two players have totaled at least six 3-pointers in the same game.

Though the Hornets’ offense shot 49% and canned 12-of-21 3-point attempts in the first half, their defense lagged way behind, providing Phoenix with a 68-58 halftime lead. Like Thursday night in Los Angeles, Charlotte got pushed around a little in the third quarter and fell behind by 20 before regrouping to enter the fourth trailing, 103-89. Rozier, who scored 25 in the second half, and the Hornets kept pushing, but never got any closer than 10 against the red-hot Suns.

Statistically, this was one of Charlotte’s best offensive outputs of the season – 47.8% shooting, a season-high and near franchise-record 23-of-46 from 3-point range (50.0%) and 32 assists to a season-low six turnovers. Unfortunately, the Suns were just that much better, registering new campaign bests in field-goal (62.2%) and 3-point percentage (60%, 18-of-30), to go along with a 20-of-24 clip from inside the paint (83.3%).

“[Phoenix] is a good offensive team, but they were great tonight,” said Hornets Head Coach Steve Clifford afterwards. “I told [our guys], with that effort, that approach, really not a good second half last night, getting in here late, guys playing big minutes, I was proud of them. Those guys were gassed in the huddles, being positive with each other. We gave ourselves a chance.”

Cody Martin (13), PJ Washington (13), Miles Bridges (11), and Nick Smith Jr. (10) also scored in double figures for the Hornets, who dropped their sixth consecutive head-to-head meeting with Phoenix. For Rozier, he now has five career 40-point showings with the franchise, which moves him past Gerald Wallace for sole possession of third place on the team’s all-time leaderboard.

Devin Booker had 35 points on 10-of-18 shooting and seven assists to lead Phoenix to back-to-back victories for the first time in over a month. Jusuf Nurkić (24 points and a game-high 15 rebounds) and Kevin Durant (21 points and 11 assists) both double-doubled, while Eric Gordon cashed in 21 points off the bench, all of which came on 3-pointers (7-of-12). This was only the Suns’ third game this season with Booker, Durant, and Bradley Beal (six points and seven assists in 30 minutes) all available and the first such win.

Added Clifford, “We doubled Kevin in the post a lot. They were great, their execution out of it. He’s obviously played against so many double teams and he moved the ball well out of them. They had great ball movement and some guys that shot the ball [well] – obviously Devin Booker, Eric Gordon, Grayson [Allen] made some. They’re a good shooting team and they made shots tonight.”

The Hornets will ring in the New Year against the reigning NBA Champion Denver Nuggets on Monday, Jan. 1, beginning at 9 PM ET. Follow all the action on Bally Sports Southeast and WFNZ 92.7 FM.