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Buzz City Beat: Charlotte Hornets Hit Home Stretch, Batum Becoming More Aggressive

By Jerry Stephens

Mar 6, 2017; Charlotte, NC, USA; Charlotte Hornets forward center Cody Zeller (40) and Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner (33) tip off the game at the Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 6, 2017; Charlotte, NC, USA; Charlotte Hornets forward center Cody Zeller (40) and Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner (33) tip off the game at the Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports /
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Welcome to Buzz City Beat, Swarm and Sting’s daily roundup of the latest news and stories from around the web about the Charlotte Hornets.

After weeks on the road, the Charlotte Hornets finally returned home as they were able to defeat the Indiana Pacers on national TV. In this edition of Buzz City Beat, we look the team hitting the home stretch, Nicolas Batum becoming more aggressive and Frank Kaminsky‘s injury putting them in NBA purgatory.

Hornets Hit Home Stretch (NBA.com)

"Fresh off a season-long seven-game road stretch, the Charlotte Hornets are back in town and looking to take advantage of a rather home-friendly March schedule."

After spending three weeks on the road playing away from home, 10 of the Hornets’ 16 games in March come at the Spectrum Center. With a majority of home games, Charlotte could make a late push for the postseason as they are 17-13 at The Hive this season. Compare that to only 11-22 outside of North Carolina.

The Hornets are simply better at home so this stretch at the end of the year will define their season. If they can go on a winning run, Charlotte could sneak into the playoffs late. This is the most home games the team has in any month this season so they must take advantage of this opportunity.

Batum Becoming More Aggressive (TheCharlottePost.com)

"Said Batum: “I’m starting to take more shots. I tried to be a playmaker for like 50 games, but we don’t have Al” Jefferson, who left for the Pacers in free agency. “We don’t have J-Lin [Jeremy Lin, who took off for Brooklyn in free agency] anymore. We all have to [make more shots], including myself.”"

Nic’s only averaging 15.3 points per game this season but he has upped that to 18 PPG in the Hornets’ last five outings. It might not seem like much but it has really helped shoulder some of the load that Kemba Walker has carried all year. He has put together back to back 21-point games while also dropping a season-high 31 points during that five-game stretch. Batum will need to keep up his aggressive play and consistent scoring as a second option if Charlotte wants to make the postseason.

Kaminsky Injury Puts Charlotte in NBA Purgatory (HoopesHabit.com)

"The Hornets find themselves in the dreaded NBA purgatory of not bad, but not good. With an All-Star entering his prime in Walker, the Hornets can’t go full tank mode, but they don’t have much young talent to look forward to. General manager Rich Cho will have his work cut out for him in the coming months, as the Hornets will surely look to put a more competitive team on the floor next season. For now, just be glad that the Bobcats are fading further and further into the past."

Next: Kemba Named Eastern Conference Player of the Week

Just when Kaminsky was finding his groove, he suffered a setback that could derail his breakout sophomore season. Maybe he will continue his tear once returning but the shoulder injury could slow him down a bit. Frank’s injury highlights how weak the bench has been this season and without him, the Charlotte Hornets may have trouble finding a way into the playoffs.

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