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Buzz City Beat: Charlotte Hornets vs Hawks, Praise for Marvin, and Clifford’s Adjustments

By Jerry Stephens

Feb 28, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; Charlotte Hornets forward Marvin Williams (2) shoots past Atlanta Hawks forward Mike Muscala (31) in the first quarter at Philips Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 28, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; Charlotte Hornets forward Marvin Williams (2) shoots past Atlanta Hawks forward Mike Muscala (31) in the first quarter at Philips Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports /
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Welcome to Buzz City Stings, Swarm and Sting’s daily roundup of the best Charlotte Hornets’ stories from around the web.

Buzz City Stings is your daily destination for the latest and best news from around the internet about the Charlotte Hornets. The team’s set to take on the Atlanta Hawks in a divisional match-up between two of the best squads in the East so far this year. In this edition, Charlotte knows exactly who they are, Marvin Williams continues to receive praise for being an amazing teammate, and Steve Clifford is a halftime wizard.

Hornets Host Hawks

“The Charlotte Hornets and Atlanta Hawks face off on four occasions each season and, well, not every one of those is closely scrutinized on a national scale. However, Friday night marks the first battle between the two teams this season, and given how well both units are playing, there is a bit of additional intrigue.” (peachtreehoops.com)

This match-up between two divisional rivals is an important game early on in the season. It is the first meeting between the two sides and each team has had a hot start to the 2016-17 campaign. A win in this season series could go a long way in determining the division champion at the end of the year.

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Charlotte Knows Themselves

“The Steve Clifford-era Charlotte Hornets, as much as any team in the league, know exactly who they are. The Hornets come out and play the same way every night: Offensively, Kemba Walker runs the show, and everybody else fills their role. They all work their butts off on the other end of the floor, starting with sprinting back in transition to prevent fast-break and early-offense baskets. They blockade the area immediately around the rim. They force a ton of mid-range shots. They almost never foul. They clean the defensive glass. They do not take breaks and they do not make mistakes.” (fansided.com)

Perfectly said. Most team’s in the NBA either don’t have a clear-cut identity or they fail to realize what theirs is. Not Charlotte. You know what you get from the Hornets each time they step out on the court. They will battle defensively, not turn the ball over, and rebound effectively. It may not sound like a big deal but by knowing their style of play and identity, this team has succeeded over opponents who fail to do the same.

Marvin’s the Perfect Teammate

“Run through this Hornets roster, or anybody else in the NBA who has played with him for that matter, and it’s hard to find someone who has a bad thing to say about Williams. Exceptional, all-around on-court abilities combined with invaluable leadership skills are what makes the Hornets so fortunate to have a player like Marvin Williams on their team moving forward.” (nba.com)

Marvin Williams is one of the most liked guys in the league. No teammate or opposing player has ever said a bad thing about him. Being a good guy may go overlooked at times in basketball but everyone around the league respects Marvin. Damarre Carroll is just the latest to voice their praise for Williams.

Steve Clifford’s Halftime Adjustments

“The Hornets lead the league with a plus-37 net rating in the third quarter this season, nearly lapping the next-closest team (Clippers). It is the largest single-quarter margin in the NBA right now, and it speaks to the under-the-radar coaching chops of Clifford and a talented core capable of executing his adjustments.” (foxsports.com)

Next: Holes in Buzz City's Hive

Who knows what Steve Clifford tell’s his players at halftime? But whatever he says, it works. The Charlotte Hornets’ head coach credits being down by double-digits at halftime for being the reason why the team battles back so hard in the third period. Whether they are leading or trailing, hopefully, the trend continues.

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