Terry Rozier couldn’t rescue Hornets from ‘inexcusable effort’ in second quarter
A strange, disappointing opening night for the Charlotte Hornets got all the stranger post-game when someone hacked into the Zoom media conference call.
Every time LaMelo Ball or Terry Rozier tried to answer a question, cartoons took over the screen. The interviews ended up as disjointed as that second quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Hornets lost their season-opener -- their first regular-season game in nine months -- 121-114. They trailed by 21 in the first half, and had Rozier not had a career night (42 points and 10 made 3s), the final score would have looked humiliating.
The sting from this one wasn’t just emotional: Starting center Cody Zeller, longest-tenured Hornet, fractured his left hand in the second half. That’s the Hornets’ second broken bone already this season: Small forward Gordon Hayward played with a fractured right pinkie finger. Zeller’s injury seems worse than Hayward’s.
Coach James Borrego said he expects Zeller to miss “some time.” The Hornets have an open roster spot, so they could hypothetically sign another center. In the meantime, the options are veteran Bismack Biyombo or two second-round rookies, Vernon Carey and Nick Richards.
While Borrego has played some small ball, with P.J. Washington moving from power forward to center, it’s hard to picture that being more than a change-up strategy. Borrego isn’t pleased with Washington’s preseason performance or his conditioning. That was reflected in Washington’s playing time: Just 21 minutes Wednesday, despite Zeller’s second-half injury.
Hayward said it “sucks” that Zeller is hurt: “All of us need to be there for him. I’m certainly going to provide as much support as I can to him.
“He’s a huge part of what we do.”
Long-time flaw
Zeller’s absence can only make worse the Hornets’ long-time rebounding flaw. They were last in the NBA last season in defensive-rebounding percentage. Wednesday, the Cavs outrebounded the Hornets 57-41, and Cleveland played without Kevin Love (calf injury), who typically averages double-figure boards.
It seemed mind-blowing when general manager Mitch Kupchak didn’t do something in the off-season to add a rebounder. Granted, the salary-cap space was eaten up by acquiring Hayward, who was terrific Wednesday (28 points, seven assists and four rebounds). But to not address so crying a need with a signing or a trade is baffling.
Borrego has talked about the rebounding improving “internally.” I’m not saying the current players can’t improve, but to suggest the current group can suddenly rise as rebounders to middle of the NBA seems whimsical.
Rozier’s value
Rozier grew up in Youngstown, Ohio, about 75 miles from Cleveland. He certainly gets revved whenever he plays there -- in two games in Cleveland last season, Rozier averaged 32.5 points and 6.5 made 3s.
“I just tell everybody I’m back home,” Rozier said. “But I’m upset we didn’t come up with the win.
“I’m gonna do what I do, back at the crib.”
It’s certainly understandable how excited the Hornets fan base is about point guard Ball. However, it’s way too soon to consider moving Rozier to the second unit when he’s playing like this.
Rozier lost 15 pounds in the first couple of months of the pandemic. Borrego anticipated big things from Rozier, based on how relentlessly he trained.
“Terry was special again tonight,” Borrego said. “He had a heck of a preseason, and it’s not a coincidence. When you work in the summertime, the results take care of themselves.”
Ball’s learning curve
Ball played just 16 minutes, and went scoreless missing five shots. He had as many turnovers (3) as assists.
Hayward offered advice post-game.
“I told him just to forget this one,” Hayward said. “Some days are diamonds, some days are stones.”
‘Snow-bally’
Hayward described the Hornets’ horrible second quarter as “snow-bally” for the way bad things cascaded into a 21-point deficit.
Borrego elaborated.
“We started hanging our heads. Shots weren’t falling at the offensive end, and we just gave in on the defensive end,” Borrego said.
“The second quarter cost us. Just inexcusable effort defensively.”
Losing on the road by seven points is no shame.
Going nine months without games, then playing with “inexcusable effort?” That’s what shameful looks like.
This story was originally published December 24, 2020 at 7:56 AM.
