Takeaways from the Charlotte Hornets first NBA preseason game

The Charlotte Hornets suffered a tough loss to the Tampa Bay Raptors with the NBA preseason kicking off for the organization.

The Charlotte Hornets had their first NBA preseason tip against the newly relocated Tampa Bay Raptors and it was, inspiring.

Now the Hornets did lose following some weak second and third quarter performances, but overall the franchise showed out with their young talent and the roster had flashes of dominance. The 22-0 run in the first quarter was really well-executed basketball with perfect decisions made on both sides of the ball.  Unfortunately, all good things come to an end and the franchise struggled before taking a loss.

But let’s highlight both the bright spots and the struggles for the Hornets after their NBA preseason loss.

What went right in the Charlotte Hornets NBA preseason loss?

The Hornets were absolutely superb on the rebounding in this game. Coming into the season, the Hornets were among the worst rebounding teams in the league, and the fact that they secured 54 boards off the glass, is definitely something to hail. LaMelo Ball was a big role in the rebounding tonight, where he recorded ten rebounds.

Miles Bridges was definitely a shining star in tonight’s game, as he recorded 12 points, six rebounds and three dimes. Bridges threw down an absolute hammer over a Raptors defender and brought so much energy to the floor. “Sky High” Miles really played well despite his turnover troubles and could earn himself a starting part come regular season tip-off.

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The team’s 22-0 run in the first half was definitely a great thing to watch as a fan. That run showed the league exactly how dominant the team can be if they are executing. The team’s passing and scoring were efficient and Bridges was able to step up defensively to cement the team’s first-quarter dominance.

The shooting was also a huge lift for the team. Gordon Hayward, Devonte’ Graham, Cody Zeller, and Miles Bridges all shot right at 50 percent, with Terry Rozier right underneath them, sitting comfortably at 40 percent from the field. Since these are expected to be the roster’s starters (with Bridges as a dice roll), it’s comforting to see their shooting so efficient.

Finally, two of our rookies really showed potential on the court. Even though LaMelo Ball struggled with his shooting and failed to score, his playmaking all night was so incredibly smooth. Ball was able to make behind the back, no-look passes without breaking a sweat (figuratively obviously). I was also very pleased with the College of Charleston alum, Grant Riller. Riller was very confident and attacked the rims a few times and seeing aggressiveness out of him was a good surprise.

What went wrong in the Charlotte Hornets NBA preseason loss?

The number one killer for the Hornets in tonight’s game were the turnovers. The Hornets suffered 22 total turnovers throughout the game and all but gave the Raptors fastbreak points. Turning the ball over 22 times is extraordinarily bad, especially considering that last year the bottom team averaged 16.5 turnovers per game.

Not only were the turnovers bad, but half of the turnovers were by wings. These wing players turned over the ball as much as the guards and they control the ball considerably less per game. Devonte’ Graham led the team with four turnovers but Miles Bridges was right behind him with three.

The second and third quarters were awful for the Hornets as they only scored 44 points within those quarters. The Raptors took advantage of the Hornets struggles on offense and outscored the team by 20 points throughout the quarters.

PJ Washington struggled tonight in the NBA preseason loss. At halftime, Washington shot a measly 16 percent before ending the game at his subpar 33 percent. Washington didn’t seem aggressive and really was mediocre on the boards. With how strong Miles Bridges showing was, Washington needs to pick it up to retain his starting position.

Even though the organization was barely behind the Raptors at the free-throw percentage, shooting 63 percent from the charity stripe, is a major concern. The worst team in the league (the New York Knicks) shot over 69 percent last season. Shooting this poorly at the line is inexcusable, quite frankly it’s unacceptable for both teams. The Hornets have to improve their free throw percentages if they want to make a splash in the Eastern Conference this season.