With realistic expectations, center Miles Plumlee did fine in Charlotte Hornets debut

First, a disclaimer: Center Miles Plumlee warned Charlotte Hornets coach Steve Clifford in advance that he wasn’t in top condition.

Clifford understood. When an NBA player isn’t used much – and Plumlee averaged just 10 minutes this season for the Milwaukee Bucks – all the stationary bikes in the world can’t replicate the exertion involved in live game action.

When you keep that in perspective, this debut as a Hornet was promising.

Without practicing once with his new team, Plumlee played 18 minutes Saturday, in altitude, in the 105-98 loss to the Utah Jazz. He finished with four points and eight rebounds. He didn’t get outplayed when matched against Jazz center Rudy Gobert, who was an All-Star candidate.

There was nothing about Plumlee’s night that made you think this trade will be a disaster.

I know it’s going to be hard for him to live up to making more than $12 million a season, but that’s old news. The Hornets agreed Thursday to assume that contract, and there aren’t generally give-backs in the NBA.

The more important thing is demonstrating he can help dig this team out of a seven-game losing streak. Clifford billed him as a guy who could bring physicality, a weakness for this team this season. He did.

They need rebounding. He rebounded. They need another big man who can deal with the pick-and-roll at both ends. He can.

Yes, it sounds crazy that Plumlee will be paid more than $36 million over the next three seasons to be a backup center. But these are inflationary times in the NBA, and so long as Plumlee isn’t a bust – and he wasn’t Saturday – this is a guy Clifford can utilize.

Some other thoughts...

All-Star point guard Kemba Walker missed Friday’s practice with an illness. He played for much of Saturday like a guy who’d gotten out of a sick bed. Walker finished with a respectable 18 points and six assists, but he started this game 1-of-6 from the field and clearly didn’t have his usual burst to the rim.

On the other hand, he beat the buzzer at the end of the third quarter with a 3-pointer from 26 feet. Even playing sick, he’s quite a competitor.

Saturday night was the continuation of an ugly trend – awful fourth-quarter defense. The Hornets were outscored in the fourth 32-16 and gave up 56 percent shooting to the Jazz. Clifford said the Hornets’ defensive efficiency rating in the fourth quarter is 19^th among 30 NBA teams.

It didn’t help that the Hornets were in the penalty the last 6 minutes, 47 seconds on Saturday. That allowed the Jazz to go to the foul line 12 times in the fourth quarter.

The 3-point shooting was terrific Saturday. The Hornets made 13-of-33 (39 percent), including 8-of-12 in the third quarter, when the Hornets generated 38 points.

The Hornets are just 20^th in the NBA in 3-point percentage this season at 35.3 percent. That comes as both a surprise and a disappointment to Clifford.

This story was originally published February 5, 2017 at 1:17 AM with the headline "With realistic expectations, center Miles Plumlee did fine in Charlotte Hornets debut."