Buzz City Beat: Charlotte Hornets’ Buzz Getting Louder, Belinelli’s Ridiculous Shot

Jan 5, 2017; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard Kemba Walker (15) reacts just after the fourth quarter against the Detroit Pistons at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Pistons won 115-114. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 5, 2017; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard Kemba Walker (15) reacts just after the fourth quarter against the Detroit Pistons at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Pistons won 115-114. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports /
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We bring you the latest and greatest news articles from around the internet surrounding the Charlotte Hornets after their loss to Detroit.

Buzz City Beat is your daily source for the best stories from around the web. The Charlotte Hornets are coming off of a heartbreaking defeat to the Detroit Pistons as they opened up their five-game road trip. In this edition, we look at the buzz around the team getting louder, Marco Belinelli‘s ridiculous buzzer beater that didn’t count, and Spencer Hawes‘ steps up.

Buzz About Hornets Getting Louder

“Charlotte Hornets coach Steve Clifford is blunt about the challenge facing his team: They just don’t look, on paper, like contending teams of recent vintage. “We don’t have a roster where we’re going to be a top-five offensive team,” Clifford said following a recent shootaround by Charlotte. “You see Cleveland, Golden State. We just don’t have that. But that doesn’t mean, by the end of the year, if we’re playing super-well defensively, that we won’t have a chance to beat those teams.” (SportsOnEarth.com)

Charlotte might not look like a top team and they might not be getting the media attention that they deserve but regardless of that, they are still one of the best squads in the Eastern Conference. The team has slowly started to receive more recognition from the national media as they continue to play well. As more and more media members around the league start to take notice of the Hornets, it will add more pressure to the team but their team-oriented play l keep them near the top.

More from Swarm and Sting

Belinelli Almost Had the Buzzer Beater of the Century

“Marco Belinelli had an extremely forgettable game against the Pistons on Thursday. Until the final half-second of the game when he nearly pulled off one of the greatest buzzer-beaters in basketball history. It’s a shame Belinelli didn’t have another half second or so to make it count. I mean, what is a second anyway? What is time? Why pay any attention to a stupid clock if all it does is ruin something beautiful?” (TheBigLead.com)

They should’ve just let Marco’s buzzer beater count because it was an amazing shot. I’ve never seen anything else like that to end a game. What player would throw the ball off an opposing player’s back at the end of a game? Not only that but he also made the shot. I don’t care that it didn’t count. That was a great play that will live forever.

Hawes Steps Up Off the Bench

“Despite not being in the starting lineup, Hawes played the most minutes at center with Cody Zeller (concussion) sidelined. Roy Hibbert got the start, but played just 18 minutes, hitting 3-of-3 shots for eight points, six rebounds and three blocks. If Zeller misses more time, Hawes is the favorite to receive the majority of the minutes at the five.” (RotoWorld.com)

Next: Marvin's Regression is a Bad Sign for Charlotte

Spencer has been quietly effective this season as he outplayed Roy Hibbert once again. He may not get the start but expect Hawes to get the majority of the minutes in Zeller’s absence. If he can continue to play well, Spencer may even take over the backup center role from Hibbert once Cody returns.