Charlotte Hornets: 5 Reasons Behind Promising Start
1. Attention To Detail Defensively
The Hornets were the league’s ninth best defense last season, surrendering 101.0 points per 100 possessions. This season, Charlotte has managed to minimize the drop-off despite Kidd-Gilchrist’s absence, giving up 100.2 points per 100 possessions — the ninth best mark in the NBA so far.
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Replacing MKG with Batum has obviously helped in that regard, but Charlotte’s all-around attention to detail has been impressive. The Hornets are giving up the fewest points off turnovers per game (13.8), and they also rank in the top 10 for opponent fast break points, second chance points and points in the paint.
Having so many seven-footers is one reason the Hornets rank sixth in blocks per game, but the Hornets’ work on the defensive glass has been a big reason they’ve been able to close out defensive possessions. Charlotte may be a bottom-10 rebounding team overall, but they’re pulling down 79.1 percent of all available defensive rebounds — the third highest percentage in the league, per NBA.com.
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With the Hornets taking care of the little things, closing out defensive stops with rebounds and bringing the all-around effort on that end of the floor, they’ve managed to keep a solid defense together despite the loss of their best individual defender.