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Buzz City Beat: Charlotte Hornets vs Philadelphia 76ers prediction, Possible NBA head coaching changes

By Jerry Stephens

PHILADELPHIA,PA - MARCH 19 : Head Coach Steve Clifford of the Charlotte Hornets looks on against the Philadelphia 76ers at Wells Fargo Center on March 19, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA,PA - MARCH 19 : Head Coach Steve Clifford of the Charlotte Hornets looks on against the Philadelphia 76ers at Wells Fargo Center on March 19, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Welcome to Buzz City Beat, a daily roundup of the best articles from around the internet surrounding the Charlotte Hornets.

Malik Monk dropped 17 points off of the bench against the Washington Wizards. It’s the first time he’s scored at least 17 points in a game since November 7th. In this edition of Buzz City Beat, we preview the Charlotte Hornets‘ game versus the Philadelphia 76ers while also looking at a possible head coaching change and the Greensboro Swarm’s success.

Hornets vs 76ers prediction (RealSport101.com)

"This will be a tougher contest for Philadelphia as they continue to learn how to play without Embiid. Philadelphia will have to work for it, but their winning streak should continue with a 104-96 victory in the Sunday matinee."

Charlotte’s lost two straight games heading into this one while Philadelphia’s riding a nine-game win streak. The 76ers last lost on March 13th and are 3-0 against the Queen City team this year. This will be the Hornets’ second to last home game of the season as three of their last four games come on the road.

The Sixers will be without all-star big man Joel Embiid which could mean that Dwight Howard will dominate the paint on both sides of the court. A win for Philadelphia would mean that they would sweep the season series versus Charlotte. While D12 could have a big game, the pick is the 76ers because of their current form.

Possible NBA head coaching changes (ClutchPoints.com)

"According to Bleacher Report’s Howard Beck, six-to-eight teams, and perhaps as many as 10 could be looking for new head coaches in the offseason. Steve Clifford in Charlotte could also be part of wholesale changes by the organization, opening up even more potential for teams to make a change of direction."

There’s no doubt that Steve Clifford is on the hot seat after missing the playoffs and finishing under .500 for the second consecutive season. It will most likely depend on who Charlotte hires to be their new general manager as they will decide the direction of the team going forward. The new GM will either stick with Clifford or find a new head coach that could possibly be a better fit.

Steve Clifford has been at the helm for the Hornets since 2013 and one could argue that the team could benefit from a head coaching change as they’ve underperformed in each of the last two seasons. This article also mentions Charlotte associate head coach Stephen Silas as a possible candidate for a head coaching job this summer. If the Hornets do decide to make a move, maybe Silas could take over for Clifford.

Greensboro Swarm find success (Greensboro.com)

"“Success can be measured in other ways,” said Swarm general manager Cam Twiss. “Player development is the primary factor in the league. We want to develop players for the next opportunity – whether it’s with another G-League team, or a good level overseas, or the NBA. You hope to win along the way, too."

Greensboro struggled to find success on the court during the 2017-18 season as they finished with a 16-34 record which was three wins less than they had last year. They were tied with the Salt Lake City Stars and the Deleware 87ers for the worst record in the league. Luckily for the Swarm, their success isn’t measured in victories as the main focus is to develop prospects like two-way players Marcus Paige and Mangok Mathiang.

Next: Ranking the Hornets last eight first round picks

Two players who had breakout seasons for Greensboro were Cat Barber and Terry Henderson. Barber averaged 16.9 points in 29 games while Henderson put up 11.3 PPG while shooting 38.4% from the three-point line. Still, with a 38-year old being their best player, it’s safe to say that player development could be better.

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