In Charles Lee's media appearance before the Charlotte Hornets' matchup against the Golden State Warriors on Saturday, he discussed how the Hornets were going to miss Moussa Diabate that evening. The coach even likened the big man to Ben Wallace and Dennis Rodman. And the results of their past couple of games reinforce why Lee values Diabate that way.
The Hornets coach effused praise for Diabate's motor, saying, "I've never seen a guy play that hard, that long, that consistently for a whole game. Ben Wallace comes to mind." While Moose might never be on the same level as the four-time Defensive Player of the Year, he could continue making an undeniable impact in Charlotte with his energy and intensity on both ends of the floor.
Of course, Lee had to mention Diabate's greatest strength: offensive rebounding. He remarked, "What he does on the offensive glass is Dennis Rodman-like. He's unbelievable. He's a joy to watch, and we'll miss him tonight."
A tale of two Hornets
After a solid beating from the Golden State Warriors on Saturday, Lee probably wished that Diabate was healthy enough to suit up.
Would it have changed the outcome? Probably not. It seemed like every shot was falling for the home squad, which sank 23 3-pointers en route to finishing with 136 total points.
The Hornets did hold Stephen Curry to just 14 points using some unconventional defensive tactics. However, Golden State responded with a balanced scoring attack, with eight players recording over 10 points. Even Draymond Green, who scored 20, was uncharacteristically hot from the field.
But if Diabate was able to play, Charlotte's defense likely would have been stouter, and the final score might not have been 136-116. His lateral quickness and ability to switch with ease through screens could have helped disrupt the Warriors' offense.
In addition, the Hornets desperately needed his rebounding prowess. Kon Knueppel tried his best to hold down the fort with 11 boards, four of which came on offense. However, with no Diabate to clean the glass following its misses, Charlotte was unable to keep up with its opponent.
If it isn't clear already, the French center has become an unparalleled linchpin for the Hornets' offensive and defensive schemes. That became even more apparent during their visit to the Denver Nuggets on Sunday.
It took seven minutes before the Nuggets got to breach the 10-point threshold, and the home squad could only muster 13 points at the 1:13 mark of the first quarter. It did finish with 18 points in the opening frame but scored just 16 in the following quarter, as the Hornets' defense continued to clamp it up.
Having Diabate back wasn't the sole reason Charlotte's defense was much more sublime in the Nuggets bout. The absence of several of their best players also had a role, for sure. They may have also been flustered by Buzz City pushing the pace in the first half. Still, the French youngster's impact, thanks to his defense, rebounding, and motor, was evident.
The Hornets likely don't have the second coming of Wallace or Rodman on the roster. However, if he can mirror some of the Hall of Famers' best qualities, the franchise will be in good hands.