The Charlotte Hornets struggled to get anything going offensively in their nail-biting loss to the Portland Trail Blazers.
The Charlotte Hornets (10-19) were defeated by the Portland Trail Blazers (16-13) as they’ve now lost three consecutive games and 10 of their last 12. Charlotte’s poor shooting eventually doomed them as they shot a season-low 34.4% from the field. The Hornets also failed to slow down the Blazers’ dual-threat attack of C.J. McCollum and Damian Lillard.
Cody Zeller missed his sixth straight game as he continues to recover from a torn meniscus in his knee. Julyan Stone (coach’s decision) was also inactive for this game. Johnny O’Bryant (personal) left the game at halftime with his pregnant wife.
Game Story
This game featured seven ties and four lead changes. The Hornets battled back in the fourth quarter as they went on a 13-0 to cut a 16-point lead to only three points. Charlotte tied the game at 87 with 4:38 left in the final period but they were unable to take the lead. Kemba Walker‘s had a chance to win the game but his near half-court heave at the final buzzer was a little too strong and it bounced off of the backboard.
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Player of the Game
Nicolas Batum was Charlotte’s best player in this one as he finished the game with 23 points, five assists and four rebounds. He shot 52.9% from the field and made five three-point shots. Nic had a season-high in points and three’s made. Is the old Batum finally back?
Jeremy Lamb led the Hornets’ second unit as he scored 15 points off of the bench. Kemba Walker struggled from the field shooting only 7-26 but he did add 14 points to go along with six assists and six boards. Marvin Williams chipped in with 10 points while Dwight Howard came close to grabbing a double-double with nine points and 15 rebounds.
The Trail Blazers were led by C.J. McCollum who scored a game-high 25 points. Damian Lillard put up a double-double by scoring 18 points and dishing out 11 assists. Jusef Nurkic rounded out Portland’s double-digit scorers with 14 points.
Highlight of the Night:
Tweet of the Game:
"Quick Stings"
- Charlotte shot 22.6% (7-31) from the three-point line.
- The Hornets out-rebounded the Blazers, 52-47.
- Charlotte wasn’t able to capitalize on Portland’s 19 turnovers.
- This was a slow-paced game as both teams combined for only seven fast break points.
- The Hornets recorded eight steals.
With the loss, Charlotte falls to 0-1 versus Portland so far this season. The Hornets have now lost three of their last four regular-season games against the Blazers. Their second and final meeting will be on February 8th in Portland.
Next: Greensboro Swarm add Archie
In their next game, the Hornets will host the New York Knicks on Monday, December 18th. This will be the second meeting between the two sides this season. The Knicks won the first matchup, 118-113, earlier in the year. The Queen City team will look to get a much-needed win and snap their three-game losing streak.