Charlotte Hornets: 2016 Is Off To A Rough Start
The Charlotte Hornets have lost two games in a row to kick off 2016. Can they tighten up their defense and get healthy in time to turn things around?
The Charlotte Hornets probably wish they could find Doc Brown and his Delorean right about now. They wouldn’t go back to 1985, but early December would be a welcome sight.
The 2015 part of the 2015-2016 season went well for the Hornets. They started the season 17-14 despite losing Michael Kidd-Gilchrist to an injury before the season began and they played large chunks of time without starting center Al Jefferson.
Jefferson has missed time due to injury, suspension, and now he’s down again after undergoing meniscus surgery. They looked like playoff contenders and shocked many by piling up wins thanks to their unique and deep roster.
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Since the calendar page flipped to 2016, the Hornets have yet to win, sitting at 0-2 during the New Year. Yes, that’s a small sample, but it could be a sign of things to come.
On Friday, they took a trip north of the border to kick off 2016 against Drake’s favorite NBA team. Charlotte lost to the Toronto Raptors after holding an eight point lead through three quarters. The Raptors outscored Charlotte 30-12 in the fourth quarter on their way to a 104-94 comeback victory.
This was the kind of loss that they can’t afford if they’re going to remain in playoff contention. Wins against fellow Eastern Conference playoff contenders are as precious as gold.
Saturday their brutal back-to-back continued as they played host to Kevin Durant and the Oklahoma City Thunder. Once again, a poor fourth quarter would be their ultimate undoing. The Thunder maintained a steady lead for most of the game, but a 22-14 fourth quarter turned a 10-point lead into a 109-90 Oklahoma City victory.
Kemba Walker’s 32-point outburst was not enough to offset Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook combining for 45 points, 17 rebounds, and nine assists. There was never a point in the game where it felt like Charlotte had a chance to win, even when they were chipping away at the lead.
That’s the difference between a good team and a great team. Right now the Hornets are good. But that may not be enough this season, especially if their defense continues to regress and the injuries keep coming.
A common thread in both losses was Charlotte’s inability to guard the three-point line. Toronto shot 15-for-33 (45.5 percent) while Oklahoma City shot 9-for-23 (39.1 percent) from deep. The Hornets shot 31.3 percent from three-point range against the Raptors and 27.3 percent against the Thunder.
For the season the Hornets, are now shooting 34.6 percent on three-point attempts, but are allowing their opponents to shoot 34.9 percent. They’re getting beaten at their own three-point bombing game.
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Swarm and Sting
Early in the season, Charlotte was winning thanks to a balanced approach. They had both a top-10 offense and a top-10 defense at the peak of their success. On Dec. 9, they took down the Miami Heat to bring their record to 13-8 and to temporarily put them as the second seed in the Eastern Conference. Things have taken a turn for the worse since then.
Their offensive rating is now 10th best in the NBA (105.5 points per 100 possessions), but defense is where the biggest issue lies. Their defensive rating is down to 12th in the league, as they allow 103.7 points per 100 possessions. Not quite the stinginess we have come to expect from a Steve Clifford coached team.
One reason for this dip could be the recent shuffling of the rotation. Injuries to Al Jefferson, Jeremy Lin, Spencer Hawes and Nicolas Batum in recent weeks have meant that the playing rotation is constantly shuffling. Losing average to above-average defensive players like Batum and Lin and replacing a portion of their minutes with below average defensive players like Brian Roberts and Troy Daniels takes its toll eventually.
The one thing that could get them back on track might be getting completely healthy. But, there’s no guarantee that is going to happen anytime soon. Lin returned to the lineup against the Thunder, but then Batum had to sit. Al Jefferson made it two games back from suspension before tearing his meniscus. Sometimes the luck just isn’t on your side.
The Hornets will have no time to sulk. Monday starts a Western Conference road trip. Their next four opponents will be the Golden State Warriors, the Phoenix Suns, the Los Angeles Clippers and the Denver Nuggets. Charlotte would do well to come out of this trip 2-2. It will be important for them to take advantage against the reeling Suns and against a scrappy but less talented Nuggets squad.
We are in the midst of the dog days of the NBA winter and the Hornets just need to tread water long enough to find some semblance of health. They’re still only one game out of the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference and there’s plenty of basketball left to play.