Charlotte Hornets: 5 Games that show hope for team’s future
March 11th, Hornets vs. Heat 109-98
In the midst of one of the weirdest nights in NBA history, Charlotte’s stellar performance likely went under the radar. This game was a culmination of many positives the Hornets had been showing flashes of at the time.
A Graham centered offensive attack was put on full display as he notched an astounding eight three-pointers on 11 attempts. A barrage of switchable, athletic wings crashing the boards and wrecking-havoc defensively resulted in a solid win over a borderline contender.
Charlotte’s final stretch of games pre-league shutdown deserves to be unpacked. This slotting in the top five represents a culmination of those final eight contests, which saw multiple wins over playoff teams and several toss-up decisions.
From late February on, the Hornets beat a surprisingly competent Knicks team; while also beating the Raptors, Rockets, and Heat, who are all playoff-bound.
Early March also saw extremely close losses to San Antonio, Denver, and Atlanta, two out of three of whom are respectable teams. Charlotte strung together solid performances for two and a half weeks, which is far from a fluke in the NBA.
With regards to the ill effects this shutdown will have on good habits young teams were forming, Borrego and company found versatile lineups that were effective defensively and offensive sets that played to the strengths of their guard tandem.
Next. Three Offseason Certainties for the Charlotte Hornets. dark
If this final stretch was any indication, fans should be excited for what Charlotte has to offer next season with a top pick and some minor free-agent additions in the mix.