New year, similar result. Takeaways from the Hornets’ loss to the Lakers
An act from “America’s Got Talent” captivated the patrons during halftime, complete with one performer throwing knives at the other and popping balloons she held in her mouth.
Consider it a bit of symbolism, given the Charlotte Hornets’ season burst a long time ago and the air is still seeping out. Once again they were thoroughly outplayed, turning in the kind of lethargic performance Monday night that has been far too prevalent. A new calendar year changed nothing and it’s awfully difficult to foresee the Hornets’ struggles lightening up.
Not when they can’t even keep pace with a team devoid of some key players like the Los Angeles Lakers. But the absence of star big man Anthony Davis (foot) didn’t matter for the Lakers. LeBron James rode into town, suited up in Charlotte for the first time in four years and tortured the Hornets.
Awakening way too late in a 121-115 loss to Los Angeles at Spectrum Center is just the latest unflattering defeat for the Hornets. And unlike two nights earlier, when Brooklyn took them apart in a wire-to-wire victory, they couldn’t blame this one on facing the hottest team in the league.
“It’s like every game is unpredictable for us,” Terry Rozier said. “We don’t have a way to play and then it’s like sometimes we will start defending when our back is against the wall, which is in the fourth quarter. It’s tough playing against the best players in the world and you can’t just turn it on whenever you want to. Obviously, we’ve got a lot of talent, but we are not disciplined.
“We’ve just got to clean it up from the beginning. We’ve got to play with that toughness, that edginess from the beginning and can’t wait.”
The Hornets (10-28) were flat-out awful. And that’s being kind. Defensive breakdowns, ill-advised shots and uninspiring one-on-one play was the norm. They didn’t begin to show a pulse until it was too late, seemingly igniting when Dennis Smith Jr. was fouled by James while trying to posterize the Lakers’ superstar early in the fourth quarter. James finished with 43 points and 11 rebounds.
“I just told the guys, for sure we don’t have a lot of room for error, but we can play a lot better,” coach Steve Clifford said. “We gave up 19 fastbreak points. Early in the year, we were never doing that. ... Right now, over the last 12 games, we’re like 29th in fastbreak points allowed, our pick-and-roll defense isn’t nearly as good and we’re getting crushed off the dribble.. You can’t win like that.
“We could beat any team. We have enough offense, and we’re going to start to shoot the ball better if we get these guys back. But still you’ve got to guard. You’ve got to guard.”
He’ll get no argument from Smith.
“I think it comes down to buying in,” Smith said. “I really think that’s what it comes down to. We’ve got a coach who, he really believes in our guys and the way that he sees the game and how we should win games, I agree with him 100%. So, I think once everybody buys into that …
“It’s different. It’s kind of a change of pace to how the team was last year to how it is now and how coach is coaching us. But once we buy in, I think we will have a really good team. We do have the personnel, though, to his point.”
Here are some key takeaways from Charlotte’s 14th loss in its past 18 games:
Welcome back, DSJ
Smith couldn’t peel his warmups off fast enough when Clifford signaled for him with just over four minutes remaining in the second quarter. Smith was available for the first time since Nov. 23, thanks to his sprained right ankle finally healing sufficiently and his presence was a welcomed sight.
He even was paired with LaMelo Ball in the backcourt on a couple of occasions, which is something that hasn’t happened at any point all season. Not in training camp, not in practice.
Smith mustered eight points and three assists in 17 minutes against the Lakers (16-21). The Hornets missed Smith’s size and defensive grit, two things Théo Maledon couldn’t provide off the bench. He gave Russell Westbrook fits on a couple of possessions, hounding him in full-court fashion.
“It’s exciting,” Smith said. “It’s always exciting when you get to compete, especially in front of the home crowd. I’m just thankful for the opportunity. I missed a lot of games, six weeks from what everybody is saying. It felt like a really long time.”
Knocking off the rust, however, will be Smith’s next step as he works back into form.
“It’ll be more just trying to get him back into rhythm,” Clifford said. “As you can see, Melo (Ball) and Gordon (Hayward) are finding their way game-by-game. But when these guys are out like this, six, seven weeks, it takes a little while. We need him, so I don’t want to do something where he can’t play Wednesday (against Memphis), too.”
Another game, another injury
It took all of three quarters for the Hornets to lose another player to injury after one had returned. And the name is a familiar one.
Hayward left in the fourth quarter with left hamstring soreness and didn’t return.
“It’s the name of our season, man,” Rozier said. “We’ve just got to make the best of it. It’s just tough seeing your brother that works hard every day, it’s tough seeing them go down and obviously it puts pressure on our team. But we can’t mess around with injuries. You’ve just got to hope for the best and we’ll be OK. We’ll figure it out.”
Hayward, who’s missed 17 games due to injury already this season, was struggling before exiting. He posted eight points on 2 of 9 shooting in 26 minutes and that came on the heels of his rough outing against Brooklyn two nights earlier when he managed just two points after making 1 of 7 attempts.
But he’s a key piece of the rotation and his ailment hurts the Hornets.
“It sucks, yeah, for sure,” Clifford said. “That part, and I don’t blame them, one of the coaches said when Gordon walked off you could feel it on the bench (because) we’ve had so many of them. But, again, it’s part of this league. It’s definitely a big part of winning in this league.
“Some years you are lucky or fortunate and some years you get more than your share of injuries. ... That’s why you have to be locked in on what wins, like how we have to play, so that no matter what we are controlling that.”
Riding with JT
With Kelly Oubre out for the second consecutive game while the Hornets devise a plan to alleviate the soreness he’s dealing with in his left hand, and Cody Martin (knee) still not ready, there are some wing minutes available.
Clifford went with JT Thor again instead of rookie Bryce McGowens, who was inactive. Thor couldn’t get much going offensively, connecting on only 1 of 3 attempts in nine minutes, but Clifford isn’t losing any belief in the third-year forward.
“I have a lot of confidence in him,” Clifford said. “He’s a really good worker, he’s on top of things. He’s smart, he puts a lot into it, and he’s a younger, developing player. So, there’s going to be nights when some things don’t look as good, but we function well when he’s out there. ... I like having him on the floor.”
This story was originally published January 2, 2023 at 9:48 PM.
