The Charlotte Hornets drop their second straight game at the hands of the Utah Jazz Friday night, losing 138-121. The Jazz continues to stay hot. The Jazz has now won 14 of their last 15 games and remains at the top of the Western Conference standings.
The Hornets came into the game off of a loss against the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday night, who is currently the top seed in the Eastern Conference. Five of the last six games the Hornets have played have been against conference title contenders (76ers, Pacers, Bucks, Jazz) with the other one being against the reigning Eastern Conference champs Miami Heat.
Coming in, the Hornets were once again undermanned, with PJ Washington out for the second straight game with a sprained foot. In his place, Lamelo Ball started along with the regulars of Cody Zeller, Gordon Hayward, Devonte Graham, and Terry Rozier. In the second quarter, Devonte’ Graham suffered a left groin strain and did not return to the game.
Here are some key takeaways from Friday’s game.