![]() ? We are ONE (1) week away from the trade deadline? Pairing LaMelo Ball with a better center would be a huge upgrade for the Hornets That must be Charlotte’s primary focus heading into the trade deadline. So even though Melo has plenty to work with on the offensive end, he’s being hung out to dry on defense. Meanwhile, solid scorers like Rozier and Gordon Hayward are at 115, the second-worst in Charlotte. And with a gauntlet of Eastern Conference contenders on deck, including the Miami Heat and one-seed Bulls, the Hornets are in danger of falling out of the seven-seed in a hurry.Īlthough he’s not a plus defender yet, Ball is tied for the best defensive rating among rotational players with 111. Its league-best 114.3 points per game are canceled out by the 114.6 it gives up. In total, five Hornets are averaging 16.6 points or more, resulting in the highest-scoring offense in the NBA.īut Charlotte’s issues lie on the defensive side, where LaMelo and company just aren’t getting the job done.Īfter Wednesday’s loss, Charlotte’s defensive rating is now 26th in the NBA. Bridges is tied with Ball for the team lead in points per game in his contract season. While Wednesday might not have served as the best example, Charlotte’s supporting cast has been pretty solid all season. Meaning: In theory the Hornets play defense.- Keith Smith January 20, 2022 Charlotte needs to make some defensive upgrades at the trade deadlineĬharlotte's defense is very much "in theory" With their six-point loss to Boston, the Hornets have now dropped four of their last six contests, three of which were by double figures. also had just five second-half points as the Hornets fell 113-107 at TD Garden.Īlthough Charlotte still controls the seven-seed and trails the top-seed Chicago Bulls by just five games, the basketball in the Queen City has been far from exemplary of late. While Terry Rozier had 23 points, Miles Bridges had a puny six points in the contest. But his teammates were unable to deliver him the win. The youngest Ball brother also added nine assists, six rebounds, and a pair of steals to his stat sheet.īall was brilliant, scoring 21 of those 38 points in the second half. Not only would he extend the streak to five, but he would score a career-high 38 points on 50.0% shooting. LaMelo entered Wednesday with four consecutive outings of 20-or-more points. The future All-Star is averaging 19.9 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 7.7 assists for a Hornets team in search of their first playoff berth since 2015-16. Ball is proving that last season’s Rookie of the Year award was no fluke.
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