Charlotte Hornets center Jusuf Nurkic (11) argues with referee Tyler Ford (39) during second half against the Atlanta Hawks at Spectrum Center. Jim Dedmon USA TODAY NETWORK
Something obvious was missing, easily conspicuous by the absence.
When the Charlotte Hornets took the floor at Spectrum Center on Tuesday night, back home for the first time in more than a week following another taxing road trip, two of their key players weren’t in uniform.
LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges didn’t play in the Hornets’ 134-102 loss to the Atlanta Hawks, each sitting out for essentially the same reason: maintenance.
“Just longevity,” coach Charles Lee said. “Coming off that road trip, obviously seen a lot of good things from Melo, and after evaluations, between nicks and bruises, it just didn’t seem like it was in the best interest of him (Wednesday) night.”
Ball and Bridges joined an injured cast that included Tre Mann (back), Brandon Miller (wrist), Grant Williams (ACL) and Josh Ogokie (hamstring).
And it could become more of the norm throughout this next month as the Hornets navigate the remainder of the season, balancing development while also resting starters.
Bridges has proven to be the Hornets’ most durable player this season, logging action in 53 games, and is their second-leading scorer at 21.1 points per game.
“I thought that Miles has been phenomenal really all year, but this last stretch has been huge for us,” Lee said. “And I think the month of February he played every game, just coming off another long road trip after the All-Star break, a bunch of back-to-backs.
“So, just again we are always trying to take that long view on our guys’ health, and this was a good opportunity for him to catch a game after that long road trip.”
Charlotte Hornets center Mark Williams (5) goes to the basket against Atlanta Hawks guard Terance Mann (14) during second quarter at Spectrum Center. Jim Dedmon USA TODAY NETWORK
A six-day excursion that had its share of ups and downs, featuring spirited wins and blowout losses. In other words, a microcosm of the Hornets’ season-long inconsistencies, and another chance for Lee to evaluate things.
“I think that it’s helped me realize even more how much talent we have, how much competitive spirit we have,” Lee said. “I think just more of an understanding of how we need to sustain the talent and the competitiveness and togetherness, and we can do it. We put together a good road trip.
“We could’ve turned that thing into a great road trip with a couple more wins, but I’m just thoroughly encouraged with everything that I see every game we have. To see some of the players step up in bigger roles and bigger moments on the road, I think there’s just a lot of positives to take away.”
Josh Okogie update
Relegated to spectator status for the bulk of the past two months, Josh Okogie appears on the mend and closer to getting off the inactive list.
The Greensboro Swarm, the Hornets’ G League affiliate practiced at the Novant Health Training Center, and Ogokie participated, representing a significant step in what’s been a lengthy rehabilitation process. Okogie hasn’t been spotted on the court since coming up gimpy in the Hornets’ home loss to the LA Clippers on Jan. 31, injuring his left hamstring on a drive to the basket.
“Obviously, a positive step for Josh,” Lee said. “It was good to watch him get some five-on-five reps with some contact and stuff. I think that the best way to figure out his timeline is to see how he pulls up (Wednesday) after having that much intensity and contact, It’s the most he’s done at this point of his return to play program.
“So, really there will be an evaluation as he comes in (Wednesday) after a heavy load (Tuesday).”
When Ogokie is healthy enough to give it a go, he should bring a few things to the table and showcase some of the attributes that were noticeable in the seven games he suited up in after being traded from Phoenix in the deal for Nick Richards.
“He’ll help us a tremendous amount,” Lee said. “If you recall some of the moments he had when he was here defensively, he can take over a game with his defensive impact in a heartbeat. He can guard a lot of the best players from the other team, able to pick them up full court. He understands tendencies so well, he can come up with some on-ball steals.
“I think that he communicates great and he has the ability to switch onto a variety of guys and have versatility there is phenomenal. And I just think offensively, he just understands who he is. He keeps it simple. He’ll catch and shoot it, drive it. He had a couple of nice passes for us as he kind of makes his rim reads and stuff.”
Moussa Diabate injured
Add another name to the Hornets’ list of walking wounded.
Moussa Diabate got banged up late in the fourth quarter, suffering a right leg injury that could sideline him for the rest of the season. The reserve center tried to stop a driving layup by Atlanta’s Zaccharie Risacher and crumpled to the court, needing assistance to get to the locker room for tests because he couldn’t put any weight on his leg.
He’s been one of the surprising bright spots in an otherwise dimly lit 2024-25 campaign.
“It’s tough to see a guy like that go down,” Lee said. “He’s obviously brought a competitive spirit and joy to the game and every time he checks in, it feels like he does something impactful that helps our team and lifts our team. So, obviously unfortunate for Moussa, but we will evaluate him and figure out what are the next steps or what the injury is.”
The Charlotte Observer
Roderick Boone joined the Observer in September 2021 to cover the Charlotte Hornets and NBA. In his more than two decades of writing about the world of sports, he’s chronicled everything from high school rodeo to a major league baseball no-hitter to the Super Bowl to the Finals. The Long Island native has deep North Carolina roots and enjoys watching “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air” endlessly. Support my work with a digital subscription