Charlotte Hornets forward Cody Martin is proving he’s the real deal

The Charlotte Hornets have been playing great basketball this year, with their most recent game coming as a win against the Atlanta Hawks. In this win, Cody Martin came alive off the bench and gave Charlotte impactful minutes after missing two straight games.

The Hornets lost their three past games, but it was clear that Martin played a big part in the team’s success. Martin finished with 19 points, six rebounds, and two steals. Martin’s performance on Sunday night was the best he’s had in his career.

Martin didn’t just score his career-high in points, he also went three of six from behind the arc (almost made four, but was a split second late at the buzzer). This game proved that Martin can be a reliable shooter. Last season Martin shot 28% from deep; however, he’s shooting yet another career-high of 48% from three.

There was a time where many fans last year were disappointed whenever Martin shot the ball, but this year has been a different story. Even with his offense improving, Martin has also continued to prove why he’s the Hornets’ best defender.

So far this season Martin has averaged 1.3 steals per game. His consistent speed and awareness on defense have helped Charlotte get many fast-break opportunities. This is proven by Martin’s performance on Sunday, as he lead the team in plus/minus with +22.

Martin has yet to start a game for Charlotte this year, but his performances off the bench have helped make Charlotte’s bench unit one of the best in the league. Coach Borrego has lucked out having a consistent player of Martin’s caliber off the bench.

It was clear that the Hornets missed Martin over the past two games. Moving forward, Charlotte will need Cody Martin to remain consistent and continue to out-hustle opponents. The team will look to continue winning as they take on the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday night.