Hornets lean on vets, and only 8 of those; Was Friday’s winning formula sustainable?
The Charlotte Hornets are now Team Slog: Everything they do -- particularly scoring -- is a chore.
Coach James Borrego has precious few options. Friday, he went all-in on experience and small ball. He started 6-foot-7 P.J. Washington at center so that Washington and Miles Bridges were both on the court at tip-off.
Then, he trimmed the rotation to eight, eliminating Cody Zeller, Caleb Martin and rookie Vernon Carey.
This isn’t how Borrego prefers it. But right now, with a playoff spot in play and his team decimated by injuries, it’s the best of dwindling options.
“My hope is we can get at least one more body into the rotation,” Borrego said after the Hornets eked out a 108-102 home victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers. “Tonight, it felt like we had to play the experienced group to get a win.
“Is that sustainable? I don’t know. But we’ve got a lot of games in a short period, and we have to feel it out game-by-game.”
Four starters played 36 or more minutes. That’s hardly ideal, but Borrego spelled it out pre-game that with LaMelo Ball, Gordon Hayward and Malik Monk out, he has little choice but to go almost exclusively with experience.
Bridges, Washington and Terry Rozier each scored 25 points. Cody Martin -- a starter again -- and Bismack Biyombo off the bench, were key elements in Charlotte’s defense. And narrowly -- because that’s how any Hornets victory now looks -- they got by.
100 points feels like a party these days
Reaching 108 points seemed like cause to dance in the aisles of Spectrum Center. This team has been last in the NBA in scoring the past 14 games, and they’d totaled 97 or fewer points in four of the prior seven games.
Playing Washington at center, rather than power forward, keeps Bridges in the starting lineup and at power forward. That seems important, because right now he’s is their most effective two-way player.
Bridges finished with not only 25 points, but 10 rebounds, and made four of his six 3-point attempts. His performance in this, his third NBA season, has been a revelation.
“I don’t think any of us saw the level that he’s gotten to this season,” Borrego said. “He’s a shotmaker now.”
The Hornets sure need those until one or more of the injured trio returns. Borrego was concerned that moving Bridges off the second unit would disrupt the role he’s so thrived in this season. Bridges figured it out.
“Starting,” Bridges said, “you’ve got to bring your own energy.”
Energy is almost never in deficit with Bridges.
Biyombo still has a function on the court
Maybe the biggest surprise about this tight, new rotation is that veteran center Biyombo was part of it Friday. Borrego says he will alternate between Biyombo and Zeller for backup minutes at center, because they bring contrasting skill sets.
Biyombo is limited offensively, but he provides a defensive edge Borrego still values. Also, Biyombo had a career-best nine offensive rebounds Friday, so he certainly filled a role in 27 minutes.
“The minute he steps in a game, he turns our defense” for the better, Borrego said of Biyombo. “Every time he’s on the floor there’s more talk, more communication. There’s more physicality The rim looks different. The paint looks different.”
The thing that looked most different Friday was the final result. The Hornets’ margin for error right now is a millimeter wide. Friday, Borrego chose to go marathon minutes with the guys he most trusts.
Is that sustainable? Likely not over the remaining 13 regular-season games. But if the alternative is the lifeless way they lost in Chicago Thursday, Borrego has no choice but to find out.
