The Charlotte Hornets began their NBA Summer League slate on Friday night and suffered a 96-84 defeat at the hands of the Indiana Pacers. With the Hornets playing without three of their expected contributors in James Bouknight, LiAngelo Ball, and Scottie Lewis, the rest of the roster was forced to step up and attempt to overcome their teammates’ absences.
Rookie second-round draft pick Bryce McGowens led the way for Charlotte with 17 points on six of 13 shooting, including three of six shooting from three-point range. McGowens was one of the lone players to shoot well from distance, as the Hornets shot just 23% from three-point range as a team. Second-year big man Kai Jones particularly struggled with his three-point shot, missing all ten of his attempts from beyond the arc.
While he did not shoot well from distance, Jones was effective elsewhere, as he made all five of his two-point field goal attempts. Fellow young prospects JT Thor and Mark Williams did not have such success, combining for 10 points and 10 rebounds on a combined 27% from the field, 0% from three-point range, and 36% from the free-throw line. Thor also committed a team-high five turnovers across his 25 minutes of action.
Third-year center Nick Richards, a veteran compared to his Summer League teammates, used his experience to his advantage to the tune of 15 points and 11 rebounds on 63% shooting. With Williams being selected 15th overall and with veteran center Mason Plumlee still on the roster, Richards will need to put on a solid performance over the next few days to assert his place on the roster.
The lack of effective point guard play certainly hampered the Hornets tonight, as the team had 18 turnovers to just 16 assists. Meanwhile, the Pacers had just 9 turnovers while racking up 22 assists. Rookie lottery pick Bennedict Mathurin led the way for Indiana with 23 points while second-year guard Chris Duarte chipped in with 16 points of his own. Second-year big man Isaiah Jackson corralled a game-high 12 rebounds while also blocking a game-high five shots.
The Hornets certainly have some things to work on in the aftermath of tonight’s loss; thankfully, they will have a chance to redeem themselves soon. Their next matchup is set for Sunday evening against the Los Angeles Lakers, with tipoff set for 9:30 p.m. EST.