The Charlotte Hornets picked up a win in front of their home crowd on Wednesday evening, defeating the Philadelphia 76ers by a final score 107-101.
Terry Rozier led the way for the Hornets with 22 points, while Shake Milton provided 22 points to lead the way for the 76ers.
With the win, the Hornets are now 5-14 on the season.
What went right for the Charlotte Hornets?
Big contributions from the big men
Both of Charlotte’s centers had double-doubles, as Mason Plumlee registered 11 points and 13 rebounds while Nick Richards posted 13 points and 13 rebounds. With Philadelphia playing without Joel Embiid, both Plumlee and Richards were able to take advantage and help guide Charlotte to a 72-54 edge in points in the paint.
Scary Terry emerged in the fourth quarter
Nine of Terry Rozier’s 22 points came in the final period, his second-highest fourth quarter scoring output this season. He did so on 4/4 shooting while also not committing a turnover. Rozier’s fourth quarter performance helped steady the Hornets, as Charlotte outscored Philadelphia by a 28-26 margin in the final quarter.
What went wrong for the Charlotte Hornets?
Injuries continue to pile up
In what is beginning to feel like a Groundhog Day type of plot development, the Hornets saw a key contributor exit the game due to injury. This time it was Dennis Smith Jr., who reaggravated the same ankle sprain that has already cost him time this year. Smith Jr. exited the game at the 4:30 mark of the second quarter and did not return.
Three-point shooting continues to struggle
The Hornets shot just 6/23 (26.1%) from three-point range, their sixth-worst mark in any contest through the first 19 games of the season. This also represents Charlotte’s second-lowest three-point shooting percentage in a win this season, meaning that tonight was a rare game that the Hornets were able to win without relying on three-point shooting. Charlotte did not try to force the issue in this contest, as their 23 three-point attempts is a new season low.
What is next for the Charlotte Hornets?
Friday, November 25th- vs. Minnesota Timberwolves (5:00 p.m. ET)