Injuries throwing the Hornets off their games

The Charlotte Hornets got some good news Tuesday when guard Nic Batum said his toe injury has improved enough that he might be able to play against the Phoenix Suns.

Of course, that only balanced off the bad news: Jeremy Lamb was so sore after a fall Monday night on his right wrist and hip that he couldn’t practice and is listed as doubtful for Wednesday’s Suns game.

This has been the Hornets’ bad fortune of late. They’ve had numerous injuries, most of those to key players. Batum, center Al Jefferson and small forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist – three of the five projected starters in training camp – all missed Monday’s road loss to the Golden State Warriors.

Batum’s sprained toe on his right foot is a day-to-day injury. Jefferson figures to miss another five weeks after knee surgery to repair a torn meniscus. Kidd-Gilchrist has been out since October after shoulder surgery to repair a torn labrum.

Everyone in the NBA has injuries over an 82-game season, but these have been significant injuries to core players. It’s disruptive, as illustrated by the Hornets’ current four-game losing streak.

This is when you lean more on veterans and versatility. Specifically, that means asking more of Marvin Williams and Jeremy Lin.

“It’s hard to play without a guy like Nic, who can play two or three spots,” Williams said after practice at the Suns’ training facility. “When he’s out it’s tough and definitely so with Al. You have to be a little more flexible, but fortunately for us, we do have guys who are comfortable in multiple positions.”

Williams starts at power forward but is capable at small forward, as he demonstrated guarding Oklahoma City Thunder superstar Kevin Durant Saturday. Lin can play either guard spot and even a bit of small forward in the right matchup. Lamb has played primarily shooting guard as a Hornet, but at 6-5 he’s long enough to match up with many small forwards.

One of general manager Rich Cho’s primary agendas last offseason was adding depth and versatility. Most of the six new players on the roster play multiple positions, and that comes in handy riding out these injuries.

Williams, in his 11^th NBA season, has a reputation for being adaptive and low maintenance. He often tells coach Steve Clifford he doesn’t care when or at what position he plays.

“It’s my experience that, as a team, the injury bug can hit you all at the same time,” Williams said. “So if it has to happen, it’s good if it happens early so you get your guys back later to make a (playoff) push.

“We’ve had pieces out all year long. You’ve just got to hold down the fort while others get healthy.”

Clifford guards against injuries becoming a handy excuse for losing. But these injuries complicate everyone’s jobs. For the coaches building game plans it becomes guesswork who will and won’t be available to play.

“Offensively we still have enough” to win, Clifford said. “They (the Warriors) are a terrific defensive team and we still scored 101. That’s more than enough to win.

“You just do A and B” plans, Clifford said of the unknown about Batum’s availability. “And it was the same way planning for Steph Curry (the Warriors superstar who was questionable with a leg injury). If he plays then we do this, if not we do that.”

Clifford said part of his job is to project who might play extra because of injury and prepare them for a new role.

“I always try to give them an idea of who’s going to play or not as much as I can,” Clifford said. “And that’s where I’m lucky with a Brian Roberts and Troy Daniels. They want to play, but if they don’t play they cheer like (heck) for their teammates.”

This story was originally published January 5, 2016 at 8:52 PM with the headline "Injuries throwing the Hornets off their games."