Buzz City Beat: Charlotte vs Houston preview, Hornets updated win prediction
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It was announced that the Indiana Pacers will host the 2021 NBA All-Star Game after LA in 2018, Charlotte in 2019 and Chicago in 2020. In this edition of Buzz City Beat, we preview the Charlotte Hornets game versus the Houston Rockets, the team’s updated win-loss prediction and Michael Carter-Williams remains optimistic.
Charlotte vs Houston Rockets preview and prediction (RealSport101.com)
"As with all Houston games, the game will go back and forth at a rapid pace, and expect to see plenty of 3-point attempts. Charlotte will put in a solid performance, but Houston will rack up points faster, running out 121-107 winners."
This game will be on ESPN and is one of the few nationally televised games that the Hornets have this season. Although they will most likely be without Nicolas Batum in this one, Charlotte did play well against OKC with Jeremy Lamb in the starting lineup. It will be a tough test for Kemba Walker and company as they take on one of the best teams in the league this season who are currently on a 10-game win streak.
The backcourt duo of Chris Paul and James Harden has been outstanding. Paul has not yet lost a game that he’s played in with Houston while Harden is the frontrunner to win the MVP award this season. A win for Charlotte could go a long way as it would be a huge statement victory for the struggling Queen City team but all signs point to a Rockets’ win and although I expect the Hornets to lose, I do think they will keep it close.
Hornets updated win-loss prediction for 2017-18 (BleacherReport.com)
"Monk is a last resort these days. Carter-Williams will never be an offensive plus, let alone an effective soloist. Batum has now struggled as the alpha playmaker for more than two years. The Hornets are on teardown notice as a result and won’t sniff 40 wins without an about-face from non-Walker lineups."
Prior to the start of the season, B/R had Charlotte going 42-40 but after a slow start to the 2017-18 campaign, they are on pace to have a 32-50 record. Bleacher Report’s new projection has the Hornets at 35-47 when all is said and done this year. The team’s record will mostly depend on their ability to get and stay healthy as they’ve been decimated by injuries so far this season. To reach 42-40, they would need to go 32-24 over the last 56 games of the season.
It’s been a quick fall from grace for this team as they were expected to challenge for a top-six seed in the Eastern Conference. Luckily, there are still plenty of games left to be played and Charlotte could easily climb up the standings in the East with a few wins. Another positive for the Hornets is that their schedule does get easier later in the season so there is some hope to cling to going forward.
MCW remains optimistic (NBA.com)
"“It took me a while to regroup and restart and resurface and get healthy, which I’m still trying to do. I’m still young and my game is still growing. I haven’t reached my potential. I still believe I’m a starter in this league. I’ll play a role right now, because that’s what my team needs to win, but I want to lead a team."
Next: Hornets to wear white pinstripe uniforms next season
Since winning Rookie of the Year in 2013, Michael’s production in the NBA has been steadily declining with each passing season. Even though Carter-Williams has been dealing with injuries while with Charlotte, he hasn’t shown signs of being a starter at the NBA level when healthy. It’s good that MCW is optimistic about his future but unless he picks up his play with the Hornets, he could be out of the league sooner rather than later.