For the second time this season, the Charlotte Hornets were able to field their projected starting lineup of LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, Josh Green, Miles Bridges, and Mark Williams. Miller's return from injury came just in time for the Hornets' rematch with the Washington Wizards.
Losing to the Wizards earlier this month signaled a new low for the team, as its opponents are even worse in the standings.
Two games later, Charlotte suffered another defeat at the hands of the Houston Rockets, extending its losing streak to five. The disgrace had the team hosting a players-only meeting, with Bridges saying veteran Taj Gibson took the lead during the gathering.
Hornets are nearing rock-bottom vs. the Wizards
The tension was palpable prior to the Hornets' Thursday matchup with Washington. Another loss should surely prompt the front office and coaching staff to seek major changes, while a win could serve as a reminder that all the squad needs to do to compete is be healthy.
After two quarters, it's clear that Charlotte deserved to be booed in their home court during its bout with the Rockets.
The team found itself trailing by 14 entering halftime against the Wizards, even as Ball, Miller, and Bridges combined for 41 points. Its defense has been embarrassing, allowing a bottom-ranked offense to put up 68 points on 24-46 shooting. It also couldn't seem to stop fouling, as the free-throw disparity was double-digits at some point in the first half.
Furthermore, the Hornets' bench couldn't buy a bucket as usual, as the reserves scored a mere five markers behind three points from Nick Richards and two from Cody Martin. Evidently, they miss Tre Mann or someone like the combo guard who can create shots for himself and others.
It remains to be seen if the squad can rally after halftime. It's worth noting that it's unwise to write Ball off when he has proven to be a strong performer in crunch time.
Even so, a comeback victory wouldn't be a cause for a huge celebration for the Hornets because they shouldn't be this bad of a squad. Or perhaps that's the plan all along. After all, tanking (unofficially) will provide the roster with a potentially great reinforcement in the 2025 draft. The downside is that players could get even more disinterested or frustrated with the team.
On the other hand, if the Hornets want to improve, it would take a collective effort from the top brass, coaches, and players because they have a lot of roster and gameplay flaws to address.