Four takeaways from the Hornets 115-111 loss to the Mavericks
By Noah Elmore
The Charlotte Hornets lost 115-111 to the Mavericks. Even in defeat though, there are still lessons to be learned. Here are four takeaways from the game.
1. Start Jeremy Lamb
The Charlotte Hornets need to return to their early-season ways and re-integrate Jeremy Lamb into the starting lineup. While it was not a particularly outstanding performance for him, as he scored 12 points on 4-8 shooting, it’s enough to clarify his role on the team.
Nicolas Batum continued to struggle shooting the basketball. His 2-9 performance resulted in a lowly four points, a game low for Hornets starters. Batum has struggled to integrate his playmaking into the starting lineup. He looks better suited to be the primary ball-handler off the bench, and Jeremy Lamb’s spot-up shooting looks better with the rest of the starters.
It’s not just opinion either, the stats back it up. The normal starting lineup is almost a full 10 points of NetRTG worse than the proposed Lamb+starters unit. There’s no sample size mistakes their either. Those are Charlotte’s two most utilized lineups of the year! For the love of all that is good, please switch Jeremy Lamb back to the starting unit.
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2. Kemba Walker should be an All-Star (Duh)
While it may not be as obvious to those who don’t tune into Hornets games every night, it’s clear that Kemba deserves another appearance in the All-Star game.
Charlotte’s captain is one of only three Eastern Conference guards to post multiple 40 point games this season. Additionally, among he’s one of three Eastern Conference guards to average more than 20 points, five assists, and one steal (min. 15 GP).
He may not be as flashy as some of the other players in the East, but his numbers back up his case. He’s an All-Star talent, plain and simple. The only critique against him is his team’s less than stellar record, but he should not be penalized for the poor performance of everyone else. Buzz City…get out and vote!
3. Too much rest for the weary
The Hornets now move to 0-4 on games following breaks of three days or longer. It’s possible this could be a statistical quirk to work itself out later in the season. That said, it could also point to a sign of larger problems in the locker room. That kind of mental fog coming off of long breaks points to a team that is not locked in or focused.
Charlotte is simply not a good enough team to afford those mental lapses. If they wish to contend, they need to be locked in, especially on nights that should be scheduled wins.
Fans disappointment in the Hornets’ performances after long breaks continues after what should’ve been an easy win. The Mavericks were playing their third game in four nights, and their second game of a back to back. Charlotte had all four nights off and still lost. A brutal one for Buzz City fans.
4. Malik Monk may be working his way back to the rotation
Malik Monk crossed the double-digit minute threshold for the first time since December 20th with 11 minutes. He knocked down two three-pointers, including one to tie the game at 88 points in the 4th quarter.
He may not have broken out of the coach’s doghouse entirely, but Malik’s reemergence in the rotation is welcomed after a recent three-game stint of DNP-CDs.
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Charlotte can take some things away from the disappointing result. For starters, Hornets faithful can do their part by voting for Kemba Walker on NBA.com. In gameplay though, Jeremy Lamb should be starting, too much rest means brain drain, and we may see more of Malik Monk soon.