Hornets gameday: JT Thor could get more playing time vs Minnesota Timberwolves
JT Thor peeled the warmups off for his first meaningful action in weeks in the Charlotte Hornets’ loss to Memphis on Saturday. It sounds like the rookie forward is on track for an encore Tuesday night.
With the Hornets still missing three key rotation players, Thor is in line to get some more playing time in Charlotte’s matchup with Minnesota. The raw, 6-foot-9 big man out of Auburn will come off the bench again and try to help the Hornets snap out of a funk during which they’ve dropped seven of their last eight games.
Thor played the entire fourth quarter Saturday, being inserted to infuse some defensive intensity because the Hornets were having trouble stopping the Grizzlies. And although he has a high probability of logging important minutes in consecutive games for the first time since mid-December, it’s too early to proclaim Thor will continue to be in the mix after the final buzzer sounds in their outing against the Timberwolves.
“Yes, there’s going to be minutes there for him (Tuesday) in all likelihood,” coach James Borrego said Monday. “What happens beyond the All-Star break and Miami, I just don’t want to go there yet. I just don’t know. There’s too many variables right now. I don’t want to speculate on anything, He’s just got to continue to do his job and keep putting pressure on me that I value and I see in him — which is rebound, defend and play with great energy, and have an impact on winning.
“If he does, the reality is I’ll play anybody in the locker room. If you’re going to impact winning, there’s a good chance you are going to find your way onto the floor.”
Thor registered two points, two rebounds, a steal and a block against the Grizzlies. He was also whistled for a delay of game in the fourth quarter when he swiped the ball out of the inbounder’s hands following a made basket by the Hornets. Since that was Charlotte’s second delay of game, Memphis was awarded a technical foul free throw. At that juncture, the Hornets trailed by 11 and every point was crucial.
Thor immediately recognized his mistake and started tapping his chest. Montrezl Harrell and a couple of Thor’s teammates immediately spoke with him about it, no doubt using the situation as a teaching moment.
“Sure, that’s the way you learn,” Borrego said. “You can learn in practice, you can learn from the G League. But there’s nothing like live game reps. So every game he’s learning something. Just like all our guys. Melo (Ball), Miles (Bridges), all our young guys are going to make mistakes in a game. It’s just learning from them, and how much do you absorb and how much can you carry over from game to game?
“That’s the question I’m asking all these guys. Can you see a mistake and correct it and correct it quickly from game to game or within the game? So I think JT fits right there with these young guys. There’s a lot of growth there for all of them, but as long as he’s open and receptive to learning and growing and adapting, I’m OK with that.”
What time, channel: Hornets vs. Timberwolves game?
When: 8 p.m. Tuesday
Where: Target Center
TV: Bally Sports Southeast
Radio: WFNZ 102.5 FM/610 AM
Odds: Timberwolves (-6)
Over/under: 244.5
Injury report
Hornets: OUT — Gordon Hayward (left ankle); Jalen McDaniels (left ankle); Cody Martin (left ankle/Achilles soreness).
Timberwolves: OUT — McKinley Wright IV (left UCL).
This story was originally published February 15, 2022 at 5:00 AM.
