Charlotte Hornets

LAST 4 GAMES

- @ Minnesota Timberwolves: W, 135-102

- vs. Detroit Pistons: W, 105-102

- vs. Toronto Raptors: W, 114-104

- vs. Sacramento Kings: W, 122-116

I decided not to write a Hornets Report last week due to the fact that there was only one game on Week 11’s slate and I just decided to review it this week with Week 12’s matchups. The All-Star break has come and gone, and the Hornets have gone streaking. Win streak that is. The Hornets have had a great run as of late and have won 4 in a row, which ties their longest streak of the season. To be fair though, it may have been their easiest stretch of the season. The Hornets are now 2 games above .500 and are currently the 5 seed in the East. A lot can happen in a quick span though, only 2 games separate them from the postseason cut line.

I’m not going to break down each game like I normally do, but I will say that having a fully healthy team shooting well is a big factor in their winning streak. Devonte’ Graham is back in the rotation and has been providing some great bench minutes. Along with great shooting, especially from three, they have been shooting free throws well as of late too.

Considering that last week’s slate was probably the easiest, it was a matter of time until things got more difficult. That will happen pretty soon. The next 3 weeks or so aren’t going to be easy for Charlotte. They have 4 tough Western Conference opponents coming up this week. Also, they will start a long road stretch. 11 of their next 13 games will be on the road.

Week 12 MVP: LaMelo Ball

It was difficult to choose an MVP over the last 4 games, but I went with the more efficient choice. LaMelo Ball has been scoring the ball efficiently as of late and is continuing to impress everyone. He averaged 16.3 PPG, 6.3 RPG, and 6.0 APG in the last 4 games and shot 48.0% from the field in that time. To go along with that, he shot 50% from three. Ball is getting better and better each week and this week, he will have some interesting matchups against some of the best players in the NBA.

NEXT 4 GAMES

- @ Denver Nuggets (23-16): Wednesday, March 17th at 9pm

- @ Los Angeles Lakers (27-13): Thursday, March 18th at 10:30pm

- @ Los Angeles Clippers (26-15): Saturday, March 20th at 10pm

- @ San Antonio Spurs (20-16): Monday, March 22nd at 8:30pm

First up, the Hornets are facing the Nuggets and tonight will be their first meeting of the season. This will be their first chance of the year to see Nikola Jokic in action. Jokic is the only player in the NBA to be in the Top 10 in Points, Rebounds and Assist per game. The Nuggets do have a little injury trouble on their bench, but they’re still a very tough team. Jamal Murray is having the best year of his career and Michael Porter Jr. has shown some big potential in his larger role this year. I wouldn’t say that the Nuggets are an elite team on offense or defense, but they’re certainly close and I’m not expecting this to be a pretty matchup for Charlotte.

The Hornets are going to Laker Land to meet up with LeBron James and his Lakers. They have been without Anthony Davis for a month and I think that the Hornets will definitely take advantage of that weakness in the paint. The Laker still have a great team without him, but I think this could be a big game for someone like PJ Washington. He could take advantage of that weaker defense at the forward position. It should be an interesting matchup and if you’re still awake at 10:30 on the east coast, you can catch this game on NBATV.

A different team, but the same building on the road. The Hornets will play the Clippers on Saturday, which is their first meeting, like the rest of the teams above. They’re led by Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, but they get really good minutes from a lot of solid players. Their starting PF is a familiar face for Hornets fans. Nic Batum has started in all game, but one for the Clippers this season and has been decent in his utility role. I think this could be a good matchup for Charlotte and I think this is a game that they can get a win. It will be a tough contest, but I think they can compete.

Last game of the week will be against the Spurs. The Spurs made headlines last week with the news that LaMarcus Aldridge will not returning to the team. They are actively trying to trade him, and I’ve heard that Charlotte is a favorite to land him. The Borrego and Aldridge reunion would be a cool thing to see, but I think a lot of Hornets fans aren’t willing to see some players/future picks go for someone like Aldridge, who would very likely be a rental. I would like to see Aldridge in a Hornets uniform and if they can make it happen under reasonable circumstances, I’m all for it. These two teams have met already this year and the Spurs took that game with a 122-110 Valentine’s Day win. The Hornets shot well that game, but they turned the ball over entirely too much and it was the deciding factor in that game. The guards did well in that game, so expect that again in this matchup.

Yacs

Charlotte Hornets Report: Week 13 of 2020-21