Brandon Miller finally returned to the court on Saturday after missing 13 contests due to a shoulder injury. Unfortunately, the Charlotte Hornets lost against the LA Clippers, who were buoyed by James Harden's 55-point explosion. It has become clear that wing defense will remain a persistent problem for the Hornets when their starting lineup lacks an elite perimeter stopper.
During Miller's absence, Sion James took Miller's starting spot. And while the rookie has fallen back to Earth on offense after a torrid start to the season, his ability to cover the opponents' best guard or wing has already impressed a lot of people.
Would James have made a difference against Harden on Saturday? The jury's out, but the former MVP's throwback performance would have been impossible to stop even by the best NBA defenders. The Clippers star was on a heater, shooting 17-26 from the field and 10-16 from three, so all there really wasn't anything the Hornets could do.
Still, the loss demonstrated how porous their defense can be when they have a starting corps consisting of LaMelo Ball, Miller, Kon Knueppel, and Miles Bridges. Ryan Kalkbrenner, who exited the Clippers bout early due to an ankle sprain, has shown promise as a solid anchor in the paint, but smart offenses can easily exploit his current lack of mobility. Knueppel has also proven to be a dependable team defender, though he can only do so much when his teammates still have a lot of room for improvement.
Can the Hornets solve their defensive woes?
Much of the burden of improving Charlotte's defense when the starters are healthy falls on coach Charles Lee. He was once renowned for his defensive acumen during his long tenure as an assistant coach, so hopefully, he can devise schemes that can transform the squad's bottom-ranked defense into at least a respectable one.
Miller can also do his part by using his length and athleticism to stay in front of premier ball handlers and chase off-ball threats. The problem with the Hornets' roster is that they don't have veterans who can teach him the ropes, so the coaching staff has to help him develop into a two-way star.
Ball and Bridges should also try to be better on that end of the floor. However, the point guard has sometimes been too lazy and undisciplined, and while the longest-tenured Hornet has shown some energy on defense this season, he just does not have the IQ and height to be a plus-defender. As such, Charlotte might have to find a replacement for Bridges as the starting power forward.
It remains to be seen if the Hornets can find a solution for their flawed defense. And until they stumble into one, their chances of becoming a competitive team are slim to none.