Swarm and Sting
Fansided

Hornets beat Lakers in double overtime thriller

By Evan Birchmore

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JULY 10: JT Thor #21, Nick Richards #4, Ty-Shon Alexander #51 and Brady Manek #45 of the Charlotte Hornets walk toward their bench for a timeout after Alexander hit a 3-pointer against the Los Angeles Lakers to tie the score at 81-81 with 20 seconds left in regulation during the 2022 NBA Summer League at the Thomas & Mack Center on July 10, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JULY 10: JT Thor #21, Nick Richards #4, Ty-Shon Alexander #51 and Brady Manek #45 of the Charlotte Hornets walk toward their bench for a timeout after Alexander hit a 3-pointer against the Los Angeles Lakers to tie the score at 81-81 with 20 seconds left in regulation during the 2022 NBA Summer League at the Thomas & Mack Center on July 10, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

In perhaps the most entertaining game to date in the NBA 2K23 Summer League, the Charlotte Hornets defeated the Los Angeles Lakers in a Sunday night matchup that bled over into the early hours of Monday morning. Ty-Shon Alexander led the way for the Hornets with 22 points, including a three-pointer to force overtime and three free throws to force double overtime. With the win, Charlotte snapped a six-game losing streak in Summer League games dating back to July 13, 2019, which had been the longest drought in the league.

Alexander was certainly the star of the show for Charlotte, posting a game-high +20 plus-minus and making the aforementioned clutch plays down the stretch. After a difficult opener that saw the Charlotte native overshadowed by backcourt mate Bryce McGowens, Alexander showed some flashes and perhaps raised some questions as to a more extensive future with the franchise.

Second-year man LJ Figueroa continued his scintillating shooting, making all seven of his field goal attempts including both of his three-point field goal attempts. Figueroa is now a combined 13/13 from the field and 4/4 from three-point range through two games of Summer League action. He also managed to corral 9 rebounds, which tied Nick Richards for the most of any player, while also posting a plus-minus of +15, the third-best mark of any player.

Undrafted rookie Brady Manek built off his promising Summer League opener with a strong showing, going for 8 points, 4 rebounds, and a block while posting a team-best +21 plus-minus. Manek and fellow undrafted rookie Justin Minaya were the lone Hornets to post positive plus-minus figures in the opener, and Manek continued to prove that his minutes correlate to team success with his showing against the Lakers.

JT Thor became the man of the hour when he knocked down a three-pointer to win the game for Charlotte. Despite a poor shooting night overall, Thor showed no hesitation on the game-winner and continues to make a case as the second-year player most likely to contribute in Charlotte this season.

Despite the win, there were some areas of improvement heading into the back half of the Summer League slate. Kai Jones had just 3 points and posted a -18 plus-minus. Meanwhile, Mark Williams struggled on the offensive end to the tune of 3 points on 20% shooting. Jalen Crutcher, the de facto point guard, had another rough outing with 3 points on 14% shooting en route to a game-worst -19 plus-minus. The second-year man from Dayton has gone a combined 3/18 from the field and 0/7 from three-point range through two games in Summer League.

Another storyline that developed throughout the game was the distribution of frontcourt minutes. Jones and Williams, two of Charlotte’s most intriguing young prospects, played less than 20 minutes each. Meanwhile, third-year man Nick Richards played 26 minutes and outpaced Williams in minutes played for the second straight game. Contrarily, Lakers rookies Max Christie and Scottie Pippen Jr. each played nearly 30 minutes. While Jones and Williams are certainly still raw, Summer League theoretically provides an ideal environment for them to get much-needed development. While Richards had another strong outing, the minutes distribution did raise some eyebrows and will be worth monitoring in the final two games.

The Hornets needed a win in more ways than one

It has been a difficult offseason for the Hornets, to say the least. For a team that prides itself on player development and drafting young talent, snapping the league’s longest Summer League losing streak was imperative. While teams do not raise banners for Summer League championships, let alone individual Summer League victories, this victory can hopefully bring some positive momentum into the building and energizing the fanbase. The Hornets will hope to build on this positive momentum when they take the court again on Wednesday night to square off with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Home/Hornets News