The Charlotte Hornets look to be on the outside looking in, as they continue to push toward the top of the Easter Conference Standings early in the season.
Beginning the season with a 2-3 record, five games have passed for the Charlotte Hornets. And there is much to be admired and desired for the bug-themed team. Two of the three losses (Milwaukee Bucks 113 – Hornets 112 and Chicago Bulls 112 – Hornets 110) and one win (Miami Heat 113 – Hornets 112) were decided in the last seconds, and one win (Orlando Magic 88 – Hornets 120) and loss (Toronto Raptors 127 – Hornets 127) were blowouts. And while Charlotte has in-game moments where they seemingly are playing like a playoff bound team, they equally have moments that highlight the struggle that Charlotte has endured in past years. Here are a few observations from the first five games of the season.
Cardiac Kemba On Another Level
Kemba Walker began this season by breaking a Hornet and NBA record; becoming the first Hornet to surpass 10,000 points and becoming the first NBA player with 19 3-pointers in the first three games of the season. Even with a small sample size of five games, Walker continues to be the best Hornet on the floor nightly.
Currently, averaging 31 points per game, Walker remains the offensive leader and primary scorer for a team hungry for success. With his lowest scoring effort, 23-points in a Wednesday night loss to the Bulls, it is still safe to assume that the team goes as Walker goes for the most part.
If Walker can maintain his scoring average or keep it around 25-28 points per game while netting Charlotte a few wins, then he could break yet another record of being the first and only Charlotte Hornet in an All-Star Game hosted in Charlotte.
Perimeter Defense Still A Problem
The Hornets have seemingly always had an issue guarding the three-point line. The Bulls shot 10-29 (35%) from behind the arc last night (which isn’t great, yet decent), however, Cameron Payne torched the team from behind the arc shooting 7-11 (64%) from three. Against the Raptors, the trio of Kawhi Leonard, Kyle Lowry, and Danny Green torched them for a combined 11-21 (52%) from three-point range. Against the Heat, Rodney McGruder went 4-6 (67%).
While also facing the Bucks, the opposing team made 14-34 (41.2%) of their 3-point attempts. Granted the team has challenged a lot of shots, continuously daring any team to shoot 3-point shots in a game where the majority of points come from the three or from inside the paint isn’t ideal. At times, late closeouts or merely an open man standing behind the line while defense closes in on a driving player have thrown many monkey wrenches into the Hornets eventual outcomes. To see that improve in games to come has to be a priority in Head Coach James Borrego’s new defense.
Shooting Guard Spot Still Up For Grabs?
The new look Hornets have shown improvement with its space, pace, and shooting this year. And much has been attributed to the change of dynamic in the starting lineup. Having five players who can reliably step out to the three-point line has opened up the offense as well as freed up Walker for easier attempts. One improvement has been at the shooting guard position. The current starter at the two-spot for the Hornets this year has been Jeremy Lamb, who no doubt earned a chance to start and to continue to compete for the starting position.
Currently averaging the third highest PPG on the team with 11.6 a night, Lamb has shown that he can be a player capable of holding his own. However, Malik Monk has been a perfect complimentary piece for the Hornets at the two-guard position. Currently averaging the second highest PPG total with 12.6 points per, Monk has constantly provided energy, buckets, and a will to shoot and win on a persistent basis. With his youth and aforementioned energy, it’s fair to wonder if Monk could warrant an experiment with the starting lineup. This would, of course, return Lamb to the 6th man role, which he had great success with in the past. One thing is still clear though, the Hornets are still searching for a definite number two for Walker, and Monk’s future is looking bright under Spectrum Center’s lights.
MKG’s Newfound Success
After years of starting and receiving an almost unlimited supply of criticism, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist is flourishing under the Borrego era Hornets. Being a defensive stopper while possessing a minimal offense has hampered MKG and the Hornets season after season. Consistently being inconsistent offensively while constantly being tasked with guarding a team’s star and/or second best player has been the ongoing theme of his career. Fans have called for his release, trade, and demotion for years in the hope of having a more offensively talented player, and this season a change occurred. After moving Nicolas Batum to his natural position of small forward and bringing MKG off the bench at both forward positions, the Hornets have seemingly enjoyed the young specialist.
Playing in a Dennis Rodman-like role for the team fits MKG’s skillset better than previous management’s plans of trying to use the often streaky firepower of Walker, Batum, and Marvin Williams’ shooting to mask the absence of offensive firepower of MKG. The fit limited the team’s overall offensive flow being that teams would crowd the driving lanes and focus more attention to Walker and other shooters.
Charlotte Hornets
Now, coming off the bench, MKG is having a resurgence of sorts. Being able to come in with the second unit to provide seemingly constant energy and focus solely on defense has MKG and Hornets both benefitting from the newer arrangement, as evidenced in his seven-block performance against Miami. Could continued success lead to a cheaper extension for the two parties?
Bridges Getting Acclimated And Comfortable
After a great preseason showing, rookie Miles Bridges was regulated to reserve spot on the Hornet’s bench; not for lack of skill or making bad decisions, but to familiarize himself with a faster and more physical brand of basketball. Bridges has shown the shooting touch, high IQ, and the fantastic athleticism that warranted a #12 selection in this past year’s draft. Though he hasn’t received much playing time in the first five games of the season, his play during the times that he is on the court has been encouraging. Showing that he can attack the basket and shoot while also being an underrated asset defensively.
The Hornets may have finally found and selected a solid two-way player after possibly five-years of subpar drafting (Cody Zeller, fourth overall pick in 2013). During his short NBA career so far, Bridges has already put together quite the highlight reel of both offensive and defensive plays. And from the looks of it, Charlotte may have found a high-quality player to help build a solid foundation for the future of the franchise. One thing is for sure, if Bridges continually plays well and improves, the Hornets will find it hard to take him off the court. See for yourself: