Summing it up: Four things we learned about Hornets during their rough four-game road trip
.JPG "Charlotte Hornets guard Terry Rozier (3) drives past Phoenix Suns center Bismack Biyombo (18) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2023, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York)")
If it was possible, the Charlotte Hornets probably would have left a vapor trail all the way from Arizona to North Carolina overnight.
There’s little doubt they couldn’t reach their home abodes in the wee hours Wednesday morning fast enough after a rough 128-97 loss to Phoenix at the Footprint Center on Tuesday night, a defeat that left the Hornets with a 2-2 record on their criss-crossing travels during the past week.
“It was an OK road trip,” Jalen McDaniels said. “We’d love to be 4-0, 3-1. But 2-2, we’ll take it. We’ve got to learn from these last two games. It’s going to feel good being home, getting that bed rest. Just being at home, there’s nothing like it. Just a different type of energy, just happier. We’ve got to lock in for this last stretch.”
Things reached the point where rookie Bryce McGowens received his first career start in the trip’s finale, all because the injury bug is constantly gnawing at the Hornets (13-36). Gordon Hayward once again joined LaMelo Ball, Cody Martin and Kelly Oubre on the bench in street clothes, a partial reason for their trek ending abruptly with the Hornets on the wrong side of a laugher with the Suns.
“Look, I think there’s things we can build on,” coach Steve Clifford said. “I thought our effort was good. We need those guys back to have a chance to beat a team like (Phoenix). When we have everybody, we have very little room for error. And then we are playing without those three guys. It’s difficult.”
Here are four noteworthy takeaways from the Hornets’ cross-country excursion:
Missing Melo and Martin
Ball was a spectator for three-fourths of the trip, sitting out yet again in Phoenix despite being listed as questionable for the second consecutive game. The star point guard warmed prior to the blowout to the Suns, but is still nursing soreness in his left ankle and right wrist that forced him to miss his 27th game of the season.
So, which injury is bothering him more? The wrist or ankle?
“I think his ankle feels a lot better and I think his wrist feels a lot better, too,” Clifford said. “But right now I think it’s more wrist than ankle. But he’s close. I know keep saying this, but he’s close.”
Martin’s status still doesn’t have much clarity.
Injuries have victimized him since training camp in September and the Hornets don’t have an adequate replacement defensively to throw out there. It’s obvious they could use his services, particularly early on during some of their futile starts.
In previous seasons, when someone on the opposing team got off to a hot streak, the Hornets often turned to Martin. It’s something Clifford probably would have done in the first quarter against Suns forward Cam Johnson, who nailed his first six shots and toasted the Hornets for 16 first-quarter points.
But Martin has played in just seven games after being unavailable for almost all of the Hornets’ initial 35 matchups, which could be concerning. He hasn’t suited up for five consecutive games now.
“We are just being cautious,” Clifford said. “He was really sore after the game he played, the last one, and maybe that’s it. He was obviously out a long time and came back, and when they ramp it up, you try to be as ready as you can. But he had a lot of soreness. So, we are just being careful with him.”
Hayward still can’t stay healthy
Hayward’s latest visit to the first place he called home as a pro sparked some of the same reaction as always. But there wasn’t as much zest in Salt Lake City this time.
“Certainly, it seemed like less boos than a couple of year’s past,” Hayward said. “So, that’s nice.”
At least Hayward played in the Hornets’ loss to the Jazz on Tuesday. That wasn’t the case in the finale of their trip.
Hayward was added to the injury report about five hours before tip against the Suns with a left hamstring strain and sat out after a brief two-game return following an eight-game absence. After logging 23 minutes against Utah and posting 11 points on seven shots, Hayward hinted at more pain.
“My hamstring just feels weak right now and that’s just something I have to work through,” Hayward said. “It’s been tough all year to find a rhythm just because I’ve been in and out of the lineup. And the minutes restriction thing is really tough, because by the time you get going you’ve got to come back out. So, some of that I’m working through.”
Apparently, he’s not there yet, however.
This marks the fourth stint on the injured list for Hayward this season and the soon-to-be 33-year-old has missed 26 of 49 games, meaning he’s been available for just 116 of 203 outings since signing his four-year, $120 million deal in November of 2020.
“We want to be careful,” Clifford said. “Gordon obviously played under a minutes restriction and he was a little bit sore the first game (in Atlanta) and he was more sore (Tuesday) morning. It just doesn’t make a lot of sense to send him back out there again, so hopefully he can play against Chicago on Thursday.”
Hit men
Those maddening sequences where the Hornets can’t close out possessions and get beaten badly on the boards keep happening. And there’s a straightforward reason why.
“It’s more physicality,” Clifford said. “We’ve had games where we’ve rebounded. It’s been a challenge for our team and it’s one of the things that you have to do if you want to play consistently. So, it’s not like you can go out and do rebounding drills. We have schemes that when we play to them we do well, and when we don’t we struggle. And that’s it.”
The solution is simple if you ask McDaniels.
“We’ve just got to hit first,” McDaniels said. “We can’t be out there timid. We’ve got to hit somebody, get a foul, lay them on the ground, whatever. Who cares? Just people have got to set the tone, and we’ve got to do that from the jump and not try to do it in the second quarter, third quarter. We’ve just got to do it from the jump (in the) first quarter.”
Musical center of attention
After going with Mark Williams over third-year man Nick Richards as the backup behind Mason Plumlee for the first three games of the trip, Clifford switched things back up against the Suns. Which is interesting given the roll Williams was on.
The rookie blocked those career-best five shots in Houston and snared a career-high three steals in Atlanta. Don’t forget about the 5-for-5 showing he had in the first half in Utah.
And although it’s a small sample size, according to Cleaning the Glass, the Hornets’ defense improves by 10.2 points per 100 possessions when Williams is on the court.
Before Suns center and old friend Bismack Biyombo terrorized the Hornets inside, Plumlee had a pretty good trip leading into their matchup with Phoenix, averaging 20 points, 9.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.3 steals, connecting on 78.6 of his shots and nailing 76.2 of his free throws. For reference, Plumlee’s career free throw percentage is a whopping 56.2% and he’s at 61.4% this season. He also made eight consecutive free throws until clanking one in the second half against Phoenix.
Combined, Plumlee and Williams turned out to be a decent duo.
“It’s really different because they play much different games on the offensive end,” Clifford said. “Mason, we can use more as a playmaker, try to utilize his passing. Mark is a rim protector defensively. I think they both have been good finishing on the offensive end and they have very different strengths in other aspects of the game.”
This story was originally published January 25, 2023 at 5:00 AM.
