Another game, same result. What we learned in the Hornets’ preseason loss to Indiana
.JPG "Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (1) passes the ball while guarded by Indiana Pacers forward Isaiah Jackson (22) during the first half of an NBA preseason basketball game in Charlotte, N.C., Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2022. (AP Photo/Jacob Kupferman)")
In between quarters in the first half, the huge screen on the Spectrum Center Jumbotron kept flashing live video of a fan sleeping in the stands.
The patron was knocked out, drawing jeers and laughs from fans scattered around the building in attendance for the Charlotte Hornets preseason home opener. Unless things shift dramatically over the next two weeks leading up to their regular-season opener in San Antonio on Oct. 19, the image of someone slumped in their cushy seat with their eyelids closed will be rather commonplace.
While it’s a stretch to draw any firm conclusions from action in games that don’t count, it’s hard to ignore the Hornets’ struggles for the second game in four nights. They weren’t good from the start before finally picking it up a bit in the second half of their 122-97 loss to Indiana on Wednesday night.
Defense was an issue again, and the Hornets couldn’t claim tired legs this time. They said that was a factor against the Celtics, a direct result of the lengthy scrimmaging they did last week during training camp. Early on against Indiana, a consistent effort and mentality to get back on defense wasn’t there and it showed.
Simple buckets came aplenty for Indiana, highlighting the Hornets’ alarming issue.
“We don’t get our defense set,” coach Steve Clifford said. “We just don’t run back. ... It’s been something that we’ve worked on throughout camp and it’s a habit you have to have. A missed shot, think you get fouled, a teammate misses a shot and you think you should have the ball, you’ve got to run back. Because when you give up that many easy baskets it’s hard to win night-in and night-out.
“In the first half -- this is without watching the film -- I’m going to say there were four times they threw the ball up the court behind us after dead balls. So, those are things -- it just can’t happen.”
The lethargic effort materialized far too often. Transitioning was a struggle.
“We are trying to really (implement) getting back on defense,” LaMelo Ball said. “I don’t really think we did that that well, though. But watch the film and just hopefully try to get better at it.”
Here are three things we learned in the Hornets’ first game in Uptown since April:
1. Size gave the Hornets trouble again
It wasn’t quite a repeat of Boston, but it was close.
Similar to what they experienced against the Celtics, Indiana’s tall frontline seemed to give the Hornets fits. Myles Turner, a player who’s been seemingly linked to the Hornets every time the trade deadline approaches, had his way on the interior and gave the home team fits.
Indiana frequently went over the top of the Hornets, tossing up alley-oops that were a tough cover. Some were worked to perfection. The Pacers totaled 36 points in the paint alone in the first half, connecting on 18-of-27 attempts.
“On (their) offensive end, when the ball does get into the paint,” Mason Plumlee said, “in season you think more about fouls, right? More verticality instead of just sending guys to the free throw line. But when they do get in there, if a big goes to contest you’ve got to crack down on the rebound and you’ve just got to have some presence and physicality in there.
“We’ll be fine.”
Things weren’t any easier inside on offense for the Hornets. Backup Pacers big man Isaiah Jackson even emphatically rejected a Plumlee second-half hook shot nearly to half court, swatting it as if it were a beach ball.
Nick Richards was one of the few bright spots and did a decent job of holding his own. Richards, who had six points and seven rebounds, served as the backup center again -- a place coach Steve Clifford said he was entrenched in leading into training camp.
2. LaMelo didn’t settle
Even though it’s a small sample size, LaMelo Ball appears to be expanding his offensive mindset. He didn’t hoist deep jumpers at the same rate he did in his first two seasons, taking just three attempts against the Pacers on the heels of firing off eight beyond the arc in Boston.
Ball’s numbers aren’t eye-popping — he went 5 for 13 — but he looked to drive into the paint and finish. He’s working with assistant coach Marlon Garnett on his midrange game with hopes of opening up things more offensively and potentially getting to the free-throw line a bit more than the 3.2 per game he averaged in his first two seasons.
Ball had four free throws against the Pacers, knocking down two. That was two more than his total three nights earlier.
“I’m just letting the game come to me, just pretty much however I feel,” Ball said. “If I feel like I can go to the rim or anything, do that. If I can shoot, just shoot. So, however the game just breaks down.”
3. James Bouknight has moved up in the rotation
If the first two games are any indication, there’s a spot for James Bouknight among the Hornets’ lineups. The second-year guard was the first person summoned off the bench yet again, perhaps inserted to inject some potential offense after another sluggish start.
Although he technically may not be pegged in the actual sixth-man role once the season begins — remember the Hornets were missing Gordon Hayward and Cody Martin — it at least suggests he’s not buried deep into the bench. He’s definitely in the mix among the reserve guards, and his offensive ability could be a boost for a second unit that often has problems scoring.
He’s eager for a rebirth of sorts after a rough rookie season, and Clifford appears set to count on the 22-year-old to be more of a contributor. He had five points on 1-of-5 shooting after going 1-for-9 in Boston.
“I told him on the bench at the end of the game,” Clifford said. “They are going to have to go through it, these guys. There’s not many guys that come into this league right away and can play. Melo did. There’s not many guys that do that.
“In many ways, Bouk hasn’t played many minutes. He’s got to find a way to play. He’s got real talent. I mean, real talent, I’m talking starter’s talent.”
Bouknight has a fan in Ball.
“Bouk definitely got talent,’ Ball said. “But then again, this is still like his first NBA games right now. So, it always takes a little process, just seeing what you can do, the gaps and just reading the whole little NBA game. So, as soon as he gets that, I think he’ll be straight for sure.
“We both try to help each other, be there for each other. But like I said, it’s nothing like going out there and playing, seeing for yourself.”
This story was originally published October 5, 2022 at 10:30 PM.
