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Buzz City Beat: Charlotte Hornets Lost Their Identity, Queen City at Loss

By Jerry Stephens

Feb 13, 2017; Charlotte, NC, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard Nicolas Batum (5) shoots the ball against the Philadelphia 76ers in the second half at Spectrum Center. The 76ers defeated the Hornets 105-99. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 13, 2017; Charlotte, NC, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard Nicolas Batum (5) shoots the ball against the Philadelphia 76ers in the second half at Spectrum Center. The 76ers defeated the Hornets 105-99. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports /
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Buzz City Beat is your daily dose of the latest and greatest news from around the internet surrounding the Charlotte Hornets.

The Charlotte Hornets look to close out the first half of the season as they take on the Toronto Raptors in their last game before the All-Star break. In this edition of Buzz City Beat, we look at the team losing their identity, the Queen City at a loss with All-Star Game pulled and the Greensboro Swarm fall to the Northern Arizona Suns.

Hornets Lost Their Identity

“They’ve lost their identity. In Clifford’s three-plus seasons as this team’s coach, you could count on two things: They made the most of what talent they had and they improved throughout each season. Not this season. They have lost 10 of their last 11 games, and it’s about more than just growing losses. They’ve stopped living up to their reputation.” (CharlotteObserver.com)

The team that was tough defensively and that opponents hated playing because of their tough style are no longer taking the court this season. Charlotte doesn’t have the edge that they have been known for over the past few seasons. They made the most of nothing last year but with expectations high this season, the Hornets just haven’t lived up to expectations with their roster underperforming. When watching the games, it’s hard to spot their identity.

More from Swarm and Sting

Charlotte at Loss After Losing All-Star Game

“Charlotte won’t be a ghost town this weekend, but it sure won’t be buzzing like many had hoped when the NBA awarded the city the 2017 All-Star game. The league moved the event last summer after North Carolina politicians failed to repeal House Bill 2, a law that passed last March that limits the protections of LGBT people.” (WashingtonTimes.com)

Many will still watch the All-Star weekend festivities because of Kemba Walker competing in the Three-Point Shootout and the All-Star Game even though the game won’t be in Charlotte. The Queen City will be a lot quieter than it was supposed to be this weekend. This year would’ve been perfect because of Walker making the team but everything just didn’t line up after the NBA was forced to move the game.

Barber and Goodwin Each Score Over 30 in Swarm Loss to Suns

“The Northern Arizona Suns hadn’t been good on the road early in the year. Owning a 2-9 record on the road and facing their longest trip away from home on the season may have been daunting, but a 125-120 win over the Greensboro Swarm on Valentine’s Day boosted the Suns to a successful road trip at 3-2. Barber led all scorers with 38 points on 15-of-24 shooting, to go along with five assists. Goodwin achieved the lone double-double by a Swarm player with 31 points on 12-of-19 shooting and 11 rebounds.” (Dleague.nba.com)

Next: Trade Deadline Will Define the Hornets Season

Two of the Charlotte Hornets/ Greensboro Swarm’s top two prospects continue to perform. Both Archie Goodwin and Cat Barber scored over 30 points in the team’s loss to the Suns. Outside of those two, only Damien Wilkins (16) and Cheick Diallo (12) scored in double figures.

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