Uncertainty surrounds the Hornets this week. That could be a good thing
Imagine packing for a trip that has the potential to either be an overnight journey, a three-day excursion or one that lasts nearly a week.
All of the destinations are in completely different climates, too.
In the Charlotte Hornets’ case, that kind of uncertainty is a good thing. It means they’re still alive and have an opportunity to erase any sting leftover from last year’s uninspiring postseason effort in Indiana. As the 10th seed in the Eastern Conference, they must win two games on the road to advance to the eight-team NBA playoff field.
Their journey begins against No. 9 Atlanta at State Farm Arena on Wednesday night and has the potential to extend to either Cleveland or Brooklyn before possibly pushing on to Miami. Those extra scenarios aren’t at the forefront of the Hornets’ minds, though. Not with what they’re facing once they arrive in Georgia.
“Our guys are excited,” coach James Borrego said Monday. “They’re ready to go. I’m thrilled for our group, to be in this position — postseason play — go win a basketball game and progress from there. So we are not thinking about anything other than Atlanta right now. What happens after that we’ll figure it out on Wednesday. But our group is excited.”
This is still all new for a bulk of the Hornets’ young core. Sure, most were present a season ago when they dipped into a huge hole early and never got it in gear against the Pacers. But that is the gist of their experience.
Bringing in more veterans became a priority and that’s why the likes of Montrezl Harrell, Mason Plumlee and Isaiah Thomas were added. The expectation is to rely on their voices, allowing them to serve as an extension of the coaching staff and an extra pair of eyes on the bench to ensure the core is aware of what’s going on on the court.
There’s a greater level of intensity on each possession in the postseason and the Hornets found that out the hard way in Indiana almost a year ago.
“We know we don’t have any room for error,” Miles Bridges said, “because last year we went into the game and Doug McDermott came out and hit five straight threes on us and it was over from there. So we know we’ve got to come into the game locked in, knowing what we’ve got to do, not letting anybody heat up. Sticking to our defensive principles, because when we play defense that’s when we are at our best.”
They won’t have a shot at beating the Hawks if they don’t. That was a huge factor in their last meeting with Atlanta last month, a victory that squared the four-game season series at 2-2.
The Hornets held Trae Young to a season-low nine points and the Hawks’ star point guard made just 33 percent of his attempts that night. Limiting Young’s production is paramount and the Hornets are going to throw multiple defensive looks at him. Few secrets can escape either side, though.
That’s how it is when you’re divisional foes.
“We know what they like to do, they know what we like to do,” Bridges said. “It’s going to come down to who executes better and who’s tougher. So it’s always fun when we play against them.”
Except the Hornets have a tad bit more on the line this time. Their jam-packed suitcases should indicate as such.
“It feels like a postseason game,” Borrego said. “It should feel that way. There’s more excitement, just something is different in the air right now. But that’s OK. My job is to make sure we stay focused on what we need to stay focused on. Our guys should play with an excitement. They should feel good about themselves right now.
“I want them to use that fuel as confidence and belief that as we go into Wednesday night, I want this group as loose as possible. Play loose and free.”
This story was originally published April 11, 2022 at 6:39 PM.
