The Charlotte Hornets' blowout loss on Thursday could end up disastrous for them because the Orlando Magic showed other teams how to defeat the Hornets: by locking up their 3-point shots and forcing them inside.
Nearly everyone knows that the outside shot has been a point of emphasis for Charlotte, especially since its roster-building philosophy this past summer was to add as many perimeter threats as possible. However, Orlando was able to expose how the Hornets' supposed strength could also be their downfall.
Apparently, Magic coach Jamahl Mosley could be heard on the broadcast almost all night shouting at his players, "No threes!" The result? Charlotte made just 11-30 from beyond the arc, equivalent to 36.7 percent. Those are respectable numbers but well below the standard it set in the first four games of the regular season. Before the Magic tiff, the Hornets had averaged 16.5 3-pointers per contest on 41.0 percent shooting.
It's worth noting that Mosley's crew made Kon Knueppel look human from beyond the arc. After the rookie averaged 16.0 points and 4.0 3-pointers per match entering the Charlotte-Orlando bout, he managed to score just five points on 1-4 shooting from 3-point land on Thursday.
LaMelo Ball also failed to score at least 20 and make at least four 3-pointers for the first time in the 2025-26 campaign, although he dished out 13 assists to compensate for his 17 points and 1-9 shooting from downtown.
Hornets' limited offensive playbook has them treading on dangerous waters
With the long-range weapon largely taken out of their arsenal, the Hornets were forced to try to beat their opponents by attacking the paint. Sadly, they don't have a creative offensive system to be effective in that area. It also didn't help that only Ball and Collin Sexton are their reliable shot-creators, with Brandon Miller injured and Tre Mann continuing to be erratic on offense to start the season.
And while the Hornets' center rotation has not been as bad as it appeared during the offseason, neither Ryan Kalkbrenner nor Moussa Diabate has post moves in the bag.
Perhaps if Charlotte's defense were stingy enough, its dire offensive outlook would not be as gloomy as it seems. Unfortunately, the team is currently ranked in the bottom four in average opponent points and defensive rating.
Hopefully, the Hornets have an ace up their sleeve because other squads are probably going to watch the tape of their loss to Orlando and discover how straightforward it is to cool off their previously scorching-hot offense. It will be interesting to see how Charles Lee responds, particularly because Charlotte is slated to face several tough opponents in the coming weeks.