The new-look Charlotte Hornets made their debut on Friday, facing the San Antonio Spurs, who had a busy offseason themselves. It didn't take long for the Hornets to assert their dominance, running to a 34-22 lead in the first quarter before completing a solid second quarter to enter halftime still up by 12.
LaMelo Ball returned after a five-game absence, playing like he has a chip on his shoulder. He put up 17 points on 7-15 shooting from the field and 3-5 from beyond the arc while adding four rebounds and four assists. In a contest that also features Victor Wembanyama, De'Aaron Fox, and Chris Paul, Ball showed he was the best player on the court.
Fortunately, the Hornets star had plenty of help despite concerns about whether his teammates could step up following the trade of Mark Williams, Vasilije Micic, and Cody Martin and the continued absence of Brandon Miler and Tre Mann.
Moussa Diabate and KJ Simpson have stepped up big so far
With new additions Jusuf Nurkic and Elfrid Payton still unavailable to suit up, Charlotte had to allocate significant minutes to Moussa Diabate, who started, and KJ Simpson. Interestingly, they rewarded the coaching staff's faith with remarkable play.
Diabate, who made waves earlier in the season with his incredible knack for crashing the glass, controlled the boards in the first two quarters of action. He grabbed eight rebounds, with three of them coming on the offensive end. The French youngster has been able to keep up with his more highly touted compatriot, Wembanyama. Despite recording just two points, he got to showcase his court vision, dishing out a game-high five assists in the first half.
Many fans were understandably sad to see Williams go, even if Charlotte managed to nab a great haul from the Los Angeles Lakers in the deal. However, it didn't take even one full game for Diabate to prove that the Hornets' center position is in good hands.
Another concern for the Hornets after their flurry of trade-deadline moves, including finally getting rid of Micic, was the lack of playmakers on the roster. They quickly addressed that with the addition of Payton, but it seems Simpson also wants a say in the matter.
The rookie had 10 points in the first half versus the Spurs, surprisingly sinking both of his attempts from long range. On the other hand, the Hornets were outscored by six points in the 10 minutes he spent on the floor. Some fans appear to believe that Micic had just been holding back Simpson before he was shipped to the Phoenix Suns.
It remains to be seen if Charlotte can hold on to the win by the time the final buzzer sounds. People, though, shouldn't be shocked if the team experiences some setbacks here and there, including on Monday.