The Charlotte Hornets beat the Brooklyn Nets Sunday night in comfortable fashion. Players such as Ish Smith and Miles Bridges led the team in the second half, creating a sizeable margin, especially in the fourth quarter.
The Charlotte Hornets look like one of the best teams in basketball currently. Kevin Durant and James Harden were contained for the most part – and the team now sits atop the Eastern Conference alongside the Chicago Bulls at 3-0.
There is a lot of thoughts running through the minds of Hornets fans currently. But there are a few in particular that stand out.
Charlotte Hornets takeaways: Miles Bridges might be taking the leap
Through three games, Miles Bridges has been downright incredible. So far this season, he is averaging 25 points and eight rebounds per game. That’s ridiculous – and he’s doing that as a combo forward. If he can keep it up (yes, it’s a pretty large ‘if’), he may be the second star that the Hornets have been searching for – one that can costar LaMelo Ball for years to come.
Bridges is on an expiring contract and is set to be a restricted free agent this summer – so his development is crucial to both his future financial status and the Charlotte Hornets core group of players.
Charlotte Hornets takeaways: Cody Martin has become a solid role player
One of the most glaring changes from last season to the current one has been the development by Cody Martin – as a late-bench player to someone that has been a critical part of the rotation. Martin is averaging 10 points per game this season on 62-percent from the field.
Martin has also been a great defender and willing charge-taker. That makes him one of the better two way players on the Hornets – and one that is absolutely worth minutes.
While this may affect the amount of time that James Bouknight sees the court – it won’t matter in the long run if Bouknight can be progressed by an impressive Hornets developmental staff.
Charlotte Hornets takeaways: The team will be ready for the Celtics on Monday
Despite pulling away from the Nets in the fourth quarter on Sunday, the Charlotte Hornets should be relatively well rested for their game against the Boston Celtics tomorrow. All things considered, LaMelo Ball played 26 minutes, Kelly Oubre played 23, and PJ Washington played 26. Not many guys went over thirty minutes, either.
The Celtics will also be coming off of a back-to-back, and may be without star wing Jaylen Brown. The Hornets very well could be on their way to 4-0.
The winner from tonight’s “guess the leading scorer competition”:
Miles 31
— Rich Giunta (@richgiunta) October 24, 2021