The Charlotte Hornets suffered a letdown and snapped their two game win streak with a loss to the Brooklyn Nets.
The summary
The Nets left Kon Knueppel uncovered off the opening tip, and he made them pay with a quick three to start the game. The Hornets looked the better team for much of the first quarter, but the Nets kept the game close by making some unusually difficult shots. LaMelo Ball checked out just past the five minute mark of the quarter, and the Hornets went about four minutes without a point due to some very preseason-looking possessions.
LaMelo came back for the end of the first quarter and start of the second to reignite the offense. The Nets sputtered at the same time, and it looked like the Hornets were going to separate themselves from a Nets team whose offensive execution was degrading. The lead ballooned to double digits for a bit. It was short lived however, as the absence of LaMelo Ball again caused the offense to collapse. The Nets made a bunch of threes, including Nic Claxton’s first three of the season at the shot clock buzzer. On the other end, Miles Bridges tried to assert himself after a quiet first quarter and a half, and it didn’t go particularly well. The teams were tied after all the dust settled heading into the break.
Neither team could buy a bucket for the first couple minutes of the third. LaMelo Ball and Tidjane Salaün of all people helped lift the lid for the Hornets. The teams went back and forth for a bit before the Nets went on a Collin Sexton-fueled run in the third quarter. The veteran guard was the only Hornet to touch the ball for three straight possessions, two of which ended in turnovers and the third of which ended in a tough fallaway jumper with 12 seconds on the shot clock. The Nets scored five points off those empty possessions and took a six point lead into the fourth.
The teams traded baskets for the first several minutes of the fourth quarter before a few difficult jumpers from Michael Porter Jr. and a Noah Clowney dunk electrified the Brooklyn crowd and put the Nets up 10. The Nets hit the Hornets with a barrage of threes over the next minute or two, which gave them enough of a buffer to stave off any Hornets comeback attempt. A tomahawk dunk by Danny Wolf over Bridges put the Nets up 15 with two minutes left and effectively clinched the win.
The Good
It seemed like a curious decision when the Pelicans elected to let Antonio Reeves go after a productive season on a two-way deal just so they could sign Bryce McGowens and Hunter Dickinson. The Hornets haven’t needed Reeves’ service much this season, but they called on him tonight, and he delivered. Eric Collins compared him to Troy Daniels during the broadcast, and the comparison seems apt.
LaMelo is still struggling with his shot, but he showed a lot of restraint and shot an uncharacteristically low amount of shots. He instead focused on facilitating the offense and was credited with 14 assists for his troubles. But even the 14 assists somewhat undersell Ball’s impact on the offense. When he was on the floor, the Hornets looked the more competent team for much of the time. When he would take a breather, the offense would lose all rhythm and become relegated to bad shots and sloppy turnovers.
Tidjane Salaün made his return after a multi-week assignment to the Greensboro Swarm, and his time in the G League seems to have helped him. He found ways to make an impact, especially in the second half, and he looked much more comfortable than we’ve typically seen him. Nothing jaw dropping, but a solid showing for the Frenchman.
Kon Knueppel made four more threes and led the Hornets with 18 points. He played a nice floor game and stuffed the stat sheet. It wasn’t his most efficient game inside the arc, but he did make some pretty snazzy shots around Nets defenders.
The Bad
Miles Bridges was the star in the Hornets’ two wins over the weekend. I don’t know if he let his guard down or if it just wasn’t his night, but he did not player well. He was invisible for the first quarter and half or so. It’s like he realized that and then tried too hard to make up for lost time. He didn’t fit in at all and a lot of his shot attempts were forced outside the flow of the offense. He finished with a team worst plus-minus of -30. That’s not all his fault, but it’s also not not his fault at all.
Sion James had a pretty tough day. He’s had some moments of wavering confidence lately, and that showed itself in this game. He didn’t shoot the ball well and some shaky decisions with the ball led to turnovers.
He wasn’t the only player with turnover problems though. The Hornets as a team turned the ball over 18 times. There wasn’t any particular egregious offender, but just about everybody took a turn or two throwing a sloppy pass or losing a dribble. The problem with a lot of the turnovers was that they were of the live ball variety, which handed the Nets a lot of free points. That’s been a recurring problem all season.
The Hornets aren’t a good team, which makes it all the more frustrating that they seem to be susceptible to letdowns and trap games. After taking down one of the hottest teams in the league in the Raptors, the Hornets couldn’t get anything going against the league’s worst. They have now lost games that were the Pelicans’ first win of the season when they were 0-6, the Pacers’ second win of the season when they were 1-13, and the Nets’ first home win of the season when they were 0-9. The team seemingly cannot function as favorites.
What’s Next
The Hornets will hang out in New York and Kon Knueppel will go on Jimmy Fallon before the team takes on the Knicks in MSG on Wednesday.