Charlotte Hornets nearly had to learn things the hard way in holding off Toronto Raptors
Well in tune with the situation and fully aware of the early-season ramifications, one of the Charlotte Hornets’ newcomers just came right out and admitted it leading up to tipoff.
“We need a win,” Josh Green said. “There’s no reason why we should drop three games in a row.”
Actually, go ahead and take it a step further.
“We really said two games, but for sure not three games,” Miles Bridges said. “That’s just something that we challenged ourselves on. So, if we don’t have any challenges, then who’s going to make challenges for us?”
In typical Hornets’ fashion, they didn’t make it easy on themselves. Despite Toronto being shorthanded and missing its rising star Scottie Barnes, the Hornets needed a big late second-half surge to power past the Raptors 138-133 on Wednesday night at Spectrum Center.
Consider it another educational moment for the young Hornets (2-2). They learned a valuable lesson in holding off the scrappy Raptors.
“Just turning the knife,” Tre Mann said. “That’s one thing I like to say for myself — turn the knife. When you’ve got a team down, don’t just stab them. Turn the knife. Execute more, play harder defense, communicate more. Just things like that. It’s going to happen.
“I was just proud that we were able to course correct and get the win, so when we do get in that position again this helps us grow. And we’ll be ready for it.”
School was certainly in session. Luckily for the Hornets, they didn’t wind up being forced to stay after the bell rang for a makeup session.
“I think that’s just like a growth thing for us, when you have games like that to gain separation,” said Cody Martin, who poured in a career-best 25 points. “Just having that maturity and staying strong and consistent. They are going to make runs — that’s part of the game. But it’s about maintaining and sticking to the plan to do what we’ve got to do to gain some separation.
“And I think we are continuously getting better at that.”
A quick verbal lashing was needed by coach Charles Lee to help get things back in order, though. He had seen enough bad habits during the Raptors’ surge during the second and third quarters and delivered a message.
“He was just saying what’s our standard?” Grant Williams said. “We have to hold each other accountable, because it wasn’t necessarily our half-court defense that was an issue. We were just celebrating. We’d shoot a 3, make it and then not know our matchup, and they’d come down on the other end and bank a 3. Or whether it was us turning the ball over, whining to officials … we just had to do a better job of focusing on what we can control.”
Lee reinforced that during their timeout chats.
“We’ve talked about it a ton in terms of the standards of excellence we are trying to set around here every day,” Lee said. “It’s a consistency of habits, the habits that we work in terms of our competitiveness. Defensively, we have absolutes of being great in transition, protecting the paint and finishing possessions and finishing without fouling.
“These are the things that we’ve agreed upon that we are going to do at a really high level every night consistently.. And offensively, we have the same types of absolutes and stands in terms of creating an advantage, trusting the pass and being relentless offensive rebounders.”
When that’s not happening, Lee springs into action.
“Any time I feel like we’re straying away from our identity or the standards that we all agreed upon and set out, then I just feel the need to remind them,” he said. “They’re great about holding each other accountable to those standards as well.”
Josh Green’s far-reaching impact
Making his home regular-season debut and back in the starting lineup, Green did a little bit of everything and it’s not hard to see how much he can help this team.
Green knocked down wide-open corner 3-pointers, displayed his playmaking skills with three assists and also collected a pair of rebounds.
“Josh’s impact doesn’t show in the box score oftentimes,” Grant Williams said. “He does a phenomenal job of just hounding guys, whether it’s in the full court or half court or guarding guys off screens. Even shots where they shoot tough floaters, he’s right there. You have to give him credit.
“I think he’s one of the best complementary guys in the league and he has a great opportunity with this team to be himself. I’m excited that he gets to play his game and whether he makes a mistake or not just continuing to play hard.”
So is Lee. Green provides him with another option, one he can utilize at multiple positions.
“His energy was phenomenal,” Lee said. “I thought his defensive impact disrupted some plays, bringing a level of physicality. He was able to sniff out some plays. ... And then offensively, at times he gives us another ball-handler that if they are going to put one of their weaker defenders on him, using him as a guy that can help us initiate our offense, and I thought that was also a great asset for us to have.
“And catch-and-shooting, just being able to space the floor and shoot it with confidence. And I definitely saw and felt him on the glass.”
Green appeared to be refreshed, likely a byproduct of sitting out Saturday night’s home opener. That was the tail end of a back-to-back and Lee offered insight into the organizational philosophy regarding the plan for Green and why the Hornets decided to hold him out against Miami before reinserting him versus Toronto.
“I would say that particular game, the thought process was to definitely rest him,” Lee said. “He’s just coming back from a little bit of soreness in his Achilles. He obviously worked a ton this offseason — Olympics and Finals — and so he’s been a full participant in practice, but it was good to get a night I think to get his body back together after playing the previous night (in Atlanta), especially on the road.
“It’ll be a process. We are just going to talk about everyday — front office and performance team. We just want to make sure we are going about the season with the right mindset to put our guys in the best position to be available.
Green is on board with the program.
“It’s a situation where nobody wants to sit out games, but I think it’s frustrating but also understanding it’s the right thing.” Green said. “It’s a long season and I have trust in our training staff and our coaches. I truly believe what they are trying to do. And if that’s missing two games here and there just to make sure I’m 100%, I back their decisions.”
He’s already enjoying being a part of the Hornets, too. He’s slid into the equation seamlessly.
“It’s great man,” Green said. “I love to see it as a young team. We are a very competitive team and I think we all want to win. And I think we have the right pieces to do that.”
Nick Richards holding it down for Mark Williams
With Mark Williams still in street clothes and not yet fully returned to practice as he works his way back from a strained tendon in his left leg, the bulk of the main big man duties is on Nick Richards’ shoulders.
And although Toronto feasted inside the paint to the tune of 80 points, Richards has been more than adequate, with his 24-point, 14-rebound, four-block performance against the Raptors serving as the latest evidence.
“Nick Richards has done a phenomenal job of filling in right now and being our starting center. I think that defensively he has taken on that mantra of what I hit Mark (Williams) with in the offseason — dominating the paint. Part of dominating the paint is his activity in the paint to alter shots and come over and rebound and be a force in the paint defensively but also offensively.
“I think we’ve seen him grab some lobs, and he’s a big part of why we have been so good (at) offensive rebounding. I think he’s been on the glass a ton, and his screen assists are getting our guards open as well. I’m just really proud of how Nick has played and how he’s stepped up and taken on a larger role.”
