The Charlotte Hornets were in danger of surpassing the Washington Wizards' longest losing streak record this season of 16. Entering their matchup against the visiting Phoenix Suns on Tuesday, their unfortunate stretch had already run up to 10. Considering that their next five games would come on the road, it wouldn't have been that surprising had the Hornets at least matched Washington's record.
Fortunately, Charlotte was able to overcome Devin Booker's 39-point, 10-assist performance. LaMelo Ball led the way for his squad with 32 points, anchoring its 26-6 run to end the first half. The surge allowed the Hornets to outscore the opponents 37-17 in the second period, marking their best differential in a quarter this season.
Phoenix put up 37 points of its own in the third quarter. However, Ball once again came alive in the fourth canto to help the Hornets grab only their second win, a 115-104 victory, since Thanksgiving.
Hornets played at a pace the Suns couldn't keep up with
Fans — and likely the players — finally managed to heave a sigh of relief, as all the losing has taken a toll on many people in and around the organization. Interestingly, Charlotte shot just 38.8 percent from the field, but several factors buoyed its win over a superstar-laden club.
In addition to its rediscovery of its stout defense and rebounding advantage, the team kept pushing the ball anytime it could.
The Hornets' roster and playbook look built for a fast-paced offense. And they capitalized on that strength on Tuesday, recording 26 fastbreak points, 22 more than the Phoenix logged. Perhaps the play that encapsulated how effective and entertaining a high-octane offense would be for Charlotte was the last scoring possession of the first half when Ball dished an alley-oop to Brandon Miller, who outran all Suns players following Kevin Durant's missed layup.
MIGHT SWERVE BEND THAT CORNER@MELOD1P x @brandmillerr | @drpepper | 📹 @FDSN_Hornets pic.twitter.com/suacjCS9NZ
— Charlotte Hornets (@hornets) January 8, 2025
One of the reasons the Hornets are near the bottom of the standings so far is their dreadful offense. Their average of 106.1 points per game ranks 29th in the league.
Only the Orlando Magic has fared worse in that department, although their stingy defense (the best in the Eastern Conference) has pushed them to a top-three seed in the East. Charlotte has had no such luxury on defense to compensate for its lack of offensive firepower.
Playing at a quicker pace could help the squad address its problems on offense and climb in the standings. Otherwise, the coaching staff has to be more creative with its offensive playbook, and Charles Lee has shown no reason yet for fans to be optimistic that he can expand his limited half-court sets.
Back in the offseason, he offered an insight into the offensive philosophy he planned for his crew. Now, it's time for him to walk the talk.