Charlotte Hornets Report - Week of January 26th - February 1st

Credit: sportslogos.net

LAST 4 GAMES

-      vs. Phoenix Suns: W, 135-115

-      @ Indiana Pacers: L, 95,120

-      @Memphis Grizzlies: W, 118-107

-      @ Milwaukee Bucks: L, 99-108

We are back with another week of reporting a previewing Hornets basketball. Charlotte won two and lost two this week, but those losses were against quality opponents on the road. For the most part, they looked like a solid unit this week, despite the losses against the Pacers and Bucks. The Hornets looked really good against the Bucks last night with the exception of the 4thQuarter. If they can play against opponents of this caliber for four quarters, I think they’ll find themselves in the playoffs in April. Kemba Walker had a big week, as he was announced a starter in this year’s NBA All-Star Game. It his is first appearance as a starter and his third appearance as an All-Star. I think I can speak for all of Charlotte by saying, we are very proud of our PG. I hope we can get him locked in for many more years to come. He has truly exemplified what it means to be a franchise player. It truly means a lot with the All-Star game being in the Queen City this year. Tickets look to be hard to find and if you can find them, they’re very expensive, but if any of you guys get a chance to go, then you will be in for a treat. This week’s slate has three games and with the exception of one game, they look like good matchups for the Buzz. 

NEXT 3 GAMES

-      vs. New York Knicks (10-37): Monday, January 28th at 7pm

-      @ Boston Celtics (30-18): Wednesday, January 30th at 7:30pm

-      vs. Memphis Grizzlies (19-30): Friday, February 1st at 7pm

The next three games actually look good for the Hornets. They have 2 games at home and 1 on the road. The first game will be against the Knicks in Charlotte. This should be the easiest matchup of the week. The Knicks are a classic underperforming team as they are 2nd worst in opponent scoring, last in FG%, and 3rd worst in defending FG%. They look to be in full tank mode moving forward in the year and shouldn’t pose a threat to the Hornets on Monday. Tim Hardaway Jr. is the biggest scoring threat on the team and Kevin Knox is a good rookie talent for the young team. The biggest question that I have with the Knicks is Enes Kanter’s playing time. He should be starting and playing at least 30 minutes a game, but isn’t seeing the court. He is publicly unhappy with the situation and has requested a trade. We’ll see if Kanter is playing Monday against the Hornets, if so, look for Charlotte to have a matchup threat. 

Moving from one of the easiest matchups of the year into one of the most difficult. They will play the Boston Celtics on Wednesday night and it will look to be a tough one for the Hornets. The Celtics are currently 5th in the East, but their current record isn’t a true indicator of how good this team is. Going from one of the most inefficient teams in the Knicks, the Hornets will be stepping up against one of the most efficient teams in the League. Assuming that the Celtics are healthy, the Hornets are completely outmatched, but I think they’ll have a shot if they play good defense like they have lately. Also, ball movement will be a key to victory for the Hornets.

Just a few days ago, the Hornets played the Grizzlies and on the first day of February, they will matchup with them again. The Hornets beat the Memphis squad, 118-107 on the road, but this time will be in Charlotte and should be another win for the Hornets. Memphis is another team that seems to be in tank mode. They announced this week that Mike Conley and Marc Gasol are on the trade block and they are listening to all offers for them. They two players are still stars and they would have a lot to offer a contending team. Marc Gasol would be an excellent fit for the Hornets. He had a triple-double against the Charlotte Wednesday night and would be a great addition for any team. They Hornets absolutely need help if they’re going to make a playoff run and currently, they’re in the best position to acquire talent than they have been in quite a while. This particular matchup shouldn’t pose a threat, but the Grizzlies have a really good defense. Smart play on the offensive end for the Hornets will be their key to victory. 

Yacs