Charlotte Hornets: 3 Keys To Turning Series Around
The Charlotte Hornets had a disappointing showing in their 123-91 loss to the Miami Heat in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series. Here are three keys that can help them turn the series around.
When the Eastern Conference playoff seeds were finally determined, it appeared that one of the best first-round matchups would be between the Charlotte Hornets and the Miami Heat. However, after the opening game of the series, perhaps that was just optimistic thinking on my part.
The Hornets fell behind 41-22 after the first quarter and never offered much of a challenge the rest of the way. By the time it was all said and done, the Heat cruised to a convincing 123-91 victory to take a 1-0 series lead and set a franchise record for points scored in postseason contest.
The bad news is the Hornets were beaten in nearly every statistical category across the board. On the flip side of the coin, although the Heat played very well in the opener, one game does not define a series.
And while things look a bit dim right now for the Hornets, here a few keys that can help them turn the tide of the series in their favor.
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Contain Luol Deng
A few years have passed since the last time Luol Deng had the luxury of experiencing playoff action. In his last two trips to the playoffs with the Chicago Bulls, Deng averaged 14.0 and 13.8 points per contest in 2012 and 2013.
Despite the two-year absence from the postseason, Deng set the tone for the Heat early, scoring 14 points in the first quarter en route to a 31-point night on 11-for-13 shooting from the field, including a 4-for-6 effort from beyond the arc. This marked the most points scored by a Heat player in their postseason debut with the club.
Meanwhile, Hornets forward Marvin Williams was barely a footnote in Game 1, scoring just two points on 1-for-7 shooting from the floor and finishing with a rating of minus-33. While it is doubtful that Deng will have outbursts like this on a consistent basis, the key for the Hornets here is to limit his scoring going forward, or at the very least close the gap in this matchup.
Defend The Paint
A couple of reasons why the Hornets won 48 games this year is because of their ability to rebound and defend the paint. In regards to rebounding, the Hornets gobbled up nearly 80 percent of all potential boards during the regular season. However, against the Heat, that number dipped to 61 percent.
As a result of their inability to control the glass, the Hornets gave up 14 offensive rebounds, which led to 19 second-chance points for the home team.
With regards to limiting their opponents’ production in the paint, the Hornets finished fifth in this category during the regular season, giving up just 40.2 points per contest.
Unfortunately, that was not the case in the series opener. Behind 21 points and 11 boards from Hassan Whiteside — who was playing in his first postseason contest — the Heat outscored the Hornets by a 56-36 margin in the paint, a fact that was not lost on head coach Steve Clifford.
"“Particularly up front, we just got manhandled,” Clifford said, via the Miami Herald. “If Deng and Whiteside are going to combine for those kind of numbers, then it’ll be hard for us to win.”"
In other words, if the Hornets continue to allow the Heat dominate them in the paint, they will have their work cut out for them for the remainder of the series.
Rediscover Perimeter Game
Coming into the playoffs, the Hornets averaged 103.4 points per game, which was the 11th-best mark in the league, per Basketball-Reference.com. Part of the reason for their scoring output is because of their ability to thrive from the outside.
In the regular season, the Hornets were ranked fourth in attempts (29.4) and makes (10.6) from beyond the arc, and they were tied for seventh with a .362 shooting percentage. But against a team with a solid rim defender, the Hornets abandoned the outside shot for the most part, attempting just 17 while connecting on just six of those attempts.
"“I’m sure they’ll have a response to get more,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said via the Charlotte Observer. “It’s a big part of their game, and they take good ones, they take tough ones. They can make both, and they can get on a roll. That’s why their team that must be respected because of their offensive firepower.”"
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It is also worth noting that none of the Hornets starters recorded more than one assist. That being said, if the Hornets are going to get back into this series, they will need to create more offense, especially from three-point territory, an area where they consistently thrived coming into these playoffs.