Charlotte Hornets Seek Series Win Against the Bucks in Milwaukee
The season is all but over for the Charlotte Hornets. With two games left, they still have unfinished business. Can they end the year on a high note by winning the season series against the playoff-bound Bucks?
Though many Charlotte Hornets (36-44) fans are looking forward to the draft, the team is focusing on finishing out the season in a positive fashion. Losers of their last three, the Hornets surely have a bitter taste in their mouths, especially after having a somewhat decent chance of securing the last playoff spot in the East. They have a tough couple of games coming up, so if the Hornets want to salvage something positive, they’ll need to play their best.
Their next game is Monday night in Milwaukee against the Milwaukee Bucks (41-39). The two teams last played each other on March 28th in Charlotte, with Milwaukee winning 118-108. Even though the score seems relatively close, the actual game was far from close. The Bucks shot lights-out against the Hornets, making just over 62% of their shots and nearly 47% from downtown.
At halftime, the Bucks sported a 72-50 lead and even though Charlotte made a valiant effort in the second half outscoring the Bucks 58-46, the deficit was just too much to overcome. Tony Snell did most of the damage for the Bucks, scoring 26 points on 71.4% shooting. Kemba Walker was the leading scorer for the Hornets with 26.
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Charlotte Hornets @ Milwaukee Bucks
8 p.m. EST, Monday, April 10th, 2017
BMO Harris Bradley Center
Broadcast on FOX Sports Southeast
Injury Report:
CHA:
Johnny O’Bryant (Out) – Ankle Sprain
Marco Belinelli (Questionable) – Left Index Finger
MIL:
John Henson (Questionable) – Thumb Sprain
Jabari Parker (Out) – Knee
Malcolm Brogdon (Questionable) – Back
Things to watch for:
In their last game, Charlotte did a fairly good job of limiting Giannis Antetokounmpo. Honestly, him shooting 61.5% in that game and “only” scoring 20 points is something that most fans would take. It was the other guys, namely Snell and Brogdon. that really stole the show. You gotta think that kind of shooting performance can’t happen again, but this season has been perplexing for the Hornets, to say the least. If Charlotte can’t defend the three well (something that has plagued the team the entire year), then coming out of Milwaukee with a W is a hefty task.
Keys to the game:
If the Bucks come out shooting the way they did in their last game, then the Hornets will need to do a better job of closing out on perimeter shooters. Yes, the duo of Greg Monroe and Giannis is a formidable one, but you can’t overcommit to defending the post, leaving open shooters.
If they can get away with not double-teaming Giannis, then that helps their cause. If he’s going to get his, however, let him. As good as 46.7% as a team from three is, it would have been even higher had Khris Middleton not gone 0-5 from deep. If they can successfully defend the perimeter and keep Milwaukee from getting hot, the Hornets have a shot to win this.
Next: Charlotte Eligible to Host 2019 All-Star Game
Even if some have already given up on the team, the Hornets will not go gently into that good night. They still want to prove that they’re better than their record. Winning these last two would help aid that.