Mark Williams shows he’s not damaged goods in first game in Charlotte since nixed trade
No one would’ve chuckled if a glance at Waze or a little assistance from Google Maps was a necessity Saturday night.
That’s what happens when you’ve been on the road for the better part of the last month like the Charlotte Hornets were in February, engulfed in a nine-game road trip on the heels of a nine-game homestand. Only one team in NBA history played more games at home followed by a similar amount on the road — or vice versa — in a single season, with the 1949-50 Denver Nuggets taking the prize with their 10-game excursion.
“It’s really nice to be home,” coach Charles Lee said. “During my time in the NBA, you do go through phases like this where you have some crazy stretches during the season of road games. This just happened to be our time.
“The whole league goes through it. We just had our little stretch and I think we learned a lot. We grew a lot and we got to compete. We learned a lot about ourselves.”
Apparently, though, there are still plenty of lessons to soak in and the Hornets are in dire need of some homework to dust off the mental cobwebs following a 113-100 loss to the Washington Wizards at Spectrum Center in Charlotte’s first outing in Uptown since Feb. 7.
At the top of the educational plan after dropping all four games in the season series to the team with the worst record in the NBA that has won only six other times?
“We’ve got to go back to what’s working,” Miles Bridges said. “Go back to mismatches, getting to the rim, passing the ball. We got away from that in the second half.”
And as a result, they remained winless against the NBA’s cellar dweller.
“They are supposed to be the worst team in the league and they beat us four times,” Bridges said. “So, what does that make us?”
About the only positive thing to extract from the Hornets’ latest stinker in a season full of them was Mark Williams heating up after a slow start to post his third straight double-double with 24 points and 12 rebounds.
Williams’ last outing in the building came on Feb. 5 against Milwaukee, hours before the Los Angeles Lakers agreed to acquire him for Dalton Knecht, Cam Reddish, a 2031 first-round draft pick and a 2030 pick swap. It’s been an exhausting few weeks, highlighted by the failed trade that made national news along with Williams’ subsequent outing against the Lakers in the Hornets’ first outing after the All-Star break.
“I think just regaining familiarity with the guys,” Williams said. “Obviously, the lack of continuity is always a little tough. But I think just being out there getting into a rhythm, it always makes it a little easier every time you’re out there.”
The trick now is to get a similar output from Williams more consistently.
“Just more reps, more time out there on the court,” Lee said. “He just continues to get better and find his way and his rhythm. We just need him to be able to do it for 48 minutes. Every minute that he’s out there on the court, he has the ability to do it.”
Sounds like the Hornets overall.
“We’ve seen it in some pretty big games that we’ve had and being able to sustain it,” Lee said. “And I think that it just comes with reps, and experience and understanding that if you don’t bring your best games on a night-to-night basis, you can get beat in this league.”
Malachi, the new guy
Another week, another new addition.
Malachi Flynn officially jumped on board with the Hornets, inking his 10-day contract and taking the roster spot previously occupied by Elfrid Payton, whose second 10-day contract expired Friday.
Flynn came from the G League’s Austin Spurs, the San Antonio Spurs’ affiliate, after appearing in 28 games, averaging 21.7 points, 4.6 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 1.8 steals in 32.3 minutes. Originally selected by Toronto at No. 29 overall in the 2020 NBA Draft, Flynn has suited up for the Raptors, New York Knicks and Detroit Pistons in his four-year seasons, posting 5.5 points, 1.7 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 213 games, including 21 starts.
He can fill it up, netting a career-high 50 points for Detroit last April, tying Nick Anderson for the second-most points ever scored by a player off the bench and finishing one behind Jamal Crawford’s record of 51.
“We’re looking forward to getting a guy who can score a little bit,” Lee said. “We’ve had some stretches where I think we were creating some really good shots, some really good advantages, and he’s a guy I think has proven that he can really fill it up and score in a lot of different ways with the ball and without the ball.
“He’s been in the NBA system. Just knowing personnel, knowing defensive schemes, understanding what it takes to impact winning. Looking forward to getting him acclimated to the group and seeing what he can contribute with his minutes.”
Flynn’s initial action with his new team came in the second quarter and he immediately showed he’s not just a scorer, finding Miles Bridges with a nice pass to get Bridges a traditional three-point play. He drained his lone shot attempt and totaled two points and two assists in eight minutes in his debut.
“Just trying to get a rhythm, get comfortable,” Flynn said. “Had a couple of turnovers that I should have had, but other than that I thought it was solid. But definitely got to cut those turnovers out.”
Still, he displayed small flashes of what he can bring to the Hornets.
“Just being someone who can make plays, put the ball in the hole and space the floor,” Flynn said. “And just kind of read and just play off of everybody, really.”
Early impressions were pretty good.
“In his minutes he was great,” Williams said. “A couple of assists, he was facilitating, great job on defense. So. I’m excited for him to be here and I think he’ll make the most of his opportunity.”
Not quite Miller time yet, but …
Although Brandon Miller is injured and out for the rest of the season, he’s not absent.
Miller, ever the basketball junkie, has found ways to stay involved and active despite being limited due to having his right wrist in a cast to repair a torn scapholunate ligament. During shootarounds and pregame warmups, the second-year guard is utilizing his left hand to toss passes to teammates, rebound the ball and more.
Simply sitting around isn’t an option for Miller.
“His approach has been phenomenal and I’m grateful for his mindset and approach during this time,” Lee said. “The staff has also done a great job of laying out what his rehab plan looks like and it’s an extensive plan. He’s doing everything he needs to do with the performance staff from a weightlifting standpoint, from a treatment standpoint, from a strengthening standpoint.”
That’s not all.
“The coaching staff has him doing some things about how we scout and how we pull clips for layers,” Lee said. “He’s watched clips with several players before the game or after the game. He’s done some personnel edits with the guys, and he’s also had a couple of just sit-down conversations with myself and other staff members about just leadership and what that looks like.
“So, he’s grown in a ton of ways. He’s approached every day the right way. He’s engaged during the games and talking to his teammates. And so learning never stops. Giving back to the team in whatever the team needs at that moment is really important. And he’s doing that. He’s sacrificing a little of his time to make sure he’s pouring into the guys because he knows he can’t do it in terms of being on the court.”
