With the NBA season being a quarter of the way through, we are taking a look at how the Charlotte Hornets are shaping up in the 2018-19 season.
Fortunate to be playing in the Eastern Conference, the Hornets currently sit in 8th place with an 11-12 record, which would be good for just 13th in the west.
Only a half of a game back from the southeast division leader, the Orlando Magic, the Hornets have a great chance to make the playoffs this season.
Led by guard Kemba Walker, the Hornets have experienced quite the up-and-down season so far. Beating some of the best teams like the Bucks and Celtics while losing to the likes of the Cavaliers and Hawks has made for a confusing assessment of the team’s true ability.
Walker has been the one consistency for the team, averaging a career-high 26.5 points, 6.2 assists and 3.3 3-pointers made, while expanding his role as the vocal leader and heart of the squad.
Numbers like these are what led the Hornets to the playoffs the last time they were there in 2016, so it’s going to be up to Walker to maintain his production throughout the remaining 59 games.
In what has been the highlight so far for Charlotte, Walker dropped a combined 103 points in a two-game span. The greater came in a 60-point effort, the highest scoring by a single player in the NBA this season, which resulted in a home loss against the 76ers because Jimmy Butler hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to give the Sixers a 122-119 victory. Walker followed this performance with a 43-point outburst against the Celtics the following night to give the home crowd the victory it was waiting for.
As seen in their loss to the Sixers, a big factor in making the playoffs will be Charlotte’s ability to win close games. They post a +3.7 score differential, which is good for fourth in the east behind the Bucks, Celtics, and Raptors, meaning they should be higher up in the standings than they are.
Their inability to win games decided by five or fewer points has hampered their stance in the league. Having lost eight of eleven of those games, head coach James Borrego will need to take some of that Spurs end-of-game knowledge and impart it on this young Hornets team.
With the recent shoulder injury to forward Marvin Williams, Borrego will look to rookie Miles Bridges to fill the void of points and rebounds left by the starter. Bridges has yet to start a game and is averaging 7.9 points and 4.1 rebounds while shooting 50 percent from the field and 35.7 percent from long range.
He has already proven to be a capable NBA player with those numbers, but the increase in minutes will hopefully allow for more development and confidence from the Michigan State product.
Another bright spot for the Hornets has been the ascension of shooting guard Jeremy Lamb, who is easily having the best season of his career. Having started every game this year, Lamb is currently second on the team in points and rebounds, averaging 15.2 and 5.4, respectively, while posting a 17.8 player efficiency rating.
Lamb’s 3-point shooting and defensive prowess will be key for the Hornets toward the end of the season and playoffs, when those are the two of the most highly valued skills.
Overall, the Hornets are in a good spot to make the playoffs, but will need to focus internally on closing out games and performing more consistently in order to truly see the success that has been long lost in the Queen City.
