April 1, 2025 • 33 mins
The Hornets returned home on the second night of a back-to-back against Utah, and snapped a five-game losing streak with a 110-106 victory. It marks the first time Charlotte has swept Utah in a season series since the 1994-95 season. Sam Farber and Rob Longo break down the game and pick their top performances of the evening. Plus, the two preview the first playoff game in Greensboro Swarm franchise history, as they square off against the Indiana Mad Ants.
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
Welcome to the Hornets Hovecast, presented by Charlotte I ear
nosen Throat Associates, the official i ear nosen Throatcare provider
of the Charlotte Hornets. Here's your host, Sam Farber.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
Welcome to another edition of the Hornets Podcast, your Hornets
Podcast with all the notes, quote, san daily buzz around
your favorite NBA team. I'm Sam Farber and it is
a pleasure and a privilege have you with us here
once again on the Hornets Time Cast, brought to you
by Santa Charlotte I ear nosen Throat Associates, the official
I ear nosen throat Care provider of the Charlotte Hornets.
It's a winning edition of the AHHC. Hornets take down
(00:35):
the Utah Jazz final score one ten to one oh six.
Mini little history in the process. We're gonna break down
the victory, look at our stars of the night, and
also have a special game preview. It is a playoff
day for the Hornets franchise, their G League affiliate, the
Greensboro Swarm, already up in Indianapolis. The Hornets are playing
the Pacers tomorrow. We'll of course have that game preview
(00:56):
for you tomorrow but today we'll be previewing the postseason
matchup the Swarm. They need a win to advance on
to take on the number one seed, the affiliate of
the Magic. But you don't win today over the Pacers
G League affiliate, you aren't moving on. We'll give you
our game preview a little bit later on helping me
in all these topics, he's my producer on the Hornet
Trader Network as well as the producer of this fine podcast.
Speaker 3 (01:17):
Rob Longo, here with me once again. Rob. We always
love to celebrate the wins.
Speaker 2 (01:21):
Sadly, they have been fewer and farther between than we
were hoping for this season. But Charlotte came with a
good effort tonight took down the Utah Jazz one ten,
one zero six to the final score, and a lot
of things got accomplished.
Speaker 3 (01:34):
First off. Within the game, we saw big.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
Numbers from some of the few remaining big stars of
the team, those who are not lost for the rest
of the season due to injury. Miles Bridge is a
big double double, Mark Williams a big double double. But
the team also was able to accomplish some of the
other goals that it's looking to do right now. And
that's put some of their young players who have not
been through this very much before into some of those
(01:56):
pressure cookers scenarios and see how they come out on
the other end. So the Hornets, clearly, in a clutch
time game winning only by four points, had t Jon Salon,
had Nick Smith Junior, had kJ Simpson on the second
consecutive night back into these kinds of situations, and clearly
they benefited from the experience the night before in New
Orleans and helped win the day for the Hornets this
(02:18):
time around over.
Speaker 4 (02:19):
The Jazz, I know, Charlotte got a couple of pieces
back in Seth Curry and Mark Williams, definitely some veteran
guys obviously out there on the floor Josh Green as well,
and back into the starting five. So the Hornets did
get some firepower back compared to that New Orleans game
on Sunday. But yeah, I mean, it almost felt like
it was a completely different team. Amazing what happens when
you have just some resemblance of a full team and
(02:39):
not a bunch of players that are out on the
inactive report like it has been all season long for
Charlotte unfortunately. But yeah, I mean the younger guys played
the majority of the second half, of course, and they
got some really good moments in there in terms of
just trying to figure out what it takes to have
winning plays down the stretch. Hornets led this by as
many as fourteen in the first half, They led it
by seven at halftime, and then you go on to
(03:00):
the third quarter and Utah outscored the Hornets by five
in the frame, so it was only a two point
game going into the fourth quarter as it was. Utah
did tie the game at seventy eight with about a
minute twelve left to go in that third frame as well,
but Hornets close strong, did a pretty good job there
down the stretch. It was a little tenuous at times,
you can certainly say, but a lot of those younger
guys stepped up. I mean, the finishing five out there
(03:21):
on the floor yesterday was kJ Simpson, Josh Green, Miles Bridges,
Tjan Salon, and Mark Williams. And again, well I'm sure
we'll touch on Tjon a lot later on here in
a podcast, but you know, he certainly played a lot
of minutes yesterday. He certainly earned those minutes, and he
earned to be out there at the end because he
played really well. So again, very interesting finishing five compared
to the starting five Seth Curry was not out there,
(03:43):
but all things considered, those younger guys got a lot
of run yesterday. Nixt to mid Junior played twenty minutes.
And again, this is what you're looking at for at
this point of the season. You're trying to figure out
who you can trust more or less for lack of
a better term, who you know needs to have a
little bit more work in the offseason, maybe who ends
up going in the summer league as well. So there's
a lot of opportunities here in the offseason for these
(04:03):
guys to get better. And this is how you evaluate
who needs to get better in what categories moving forward
by putting them in these tense situations down to stretching
games like last night.
Speaker 2 (04:12):
Yeah, and I actually want to dig a little deeper
into it on the yonset because I mean, this is
a time of year where there's a lot of pessimists
out there across the NBA. They're looking at teams and
the rosters that are available and those players who are
ruled out for the season, and oftentimes there is a
very legitimate injury and sometimes teams don't need as much
coaxing as other points in the campaign to rule guys out.
(04:35):
You look at some of the players available for Utah
for instance, New Orleans for instance, towards the finish line,
and things are becoming self evident. What's trying to be accomplished?
Philadelphia another example. But there's always something to be gained
in every NBA opportunity, and I think that the Charlotte
Hornets are doing a good job here of making the
(04:56):
most of these opportunities here to plug some guys in.
Who if we're being honest, if this team's record was
flipped and they're closer to fifty six to nineteen versus
nineteen and fifty six, you're not gonna see t Jon
Salon in the closing minutes of a game that's within
two positions. You're not gonna see kJ Simpson running point.
(05:17):
So to have the opportunity to plug them into these
situations and see how they perform, that's great, and even
better on night two of a back to back, to
see how they learn the second time around. It's something
Hornet's head coach Charles Lee spoke about after the game.
The opportunity for learning for the younger members of this
(05:37):
Hornet's team.
Speaker 5 (05:38):
Yeah, no, it's great for kJ and Nick and t Jon.
Again defensively, just like the element of how much pace
the other team is trying to execute with, how much
physicality is there, especially when you're up in a situation
the other team's going to crash the glass relentlessly, and
so you got to do a really good job of
getting a hit and finishing a possession.
Speaker 3 (05:57):
You got to.
Speaker 5 (05:57):
Defend without failing, and have even more discipline. Those little
things that matter throughout the whole game. But at that
point of the game, the stakes are elevated, and so
I think it's huge for them to be in that situation.
Then offensively, to take a shot in the second quarter
with a five point lead or down five, it is
a lot different than fourth quarter with a minute left,
And for Tijan to step up there and knock down
(06:18):
those free throws and kJ to drive and get an assist,
I think it's huge. And you know, I love that
mixing in Miles with that group is really good too,
where I just see him communicating and talking and helping
us get into some things. So I thought it was
just a great effort by all.
Speaker 2 (06:33):
Good point there by Coach Charles lead too in that
it wasn't just the kids all playing with one another.
They had some veteran leadership on the floor in Miles Bridges.
Mark Williams still in his first one hundred and twenty
or so games of his NBA career, but he's been
in the league for a couple of extra years, so
definitely brings a little bit more presence to that situation
having been in them before. But I think it's a
(06:54):
great opportunity for some younger guys, and one in particular
who had a big game last night, t Jon Salon
was one of the stars of the show. He had
three big threes early in the game, but in those
crunch time minutes, as coach indicated, six seconds left, the
Hornets are up by three, he gets found. He goes
to the line and puts the game away effectively by
hitting one of the free throws. He had some big
(07:16):
rebounds down the stretch, and he was a part of
the closing group the night before in a narrow loss
to New Orleans. He talked after the game with me
on the Hornets Radio Network about learning over back to
back nights how to play in crunch time, so.
Speaker 6 (07:33):
Down phils after slow down, control the bull and yeah,
it's a great experience to play until the end. I
guess I can uh, I can to uh control the
game into the end.
Speaker 2 (07:46):
First off, as always, t Jon's English is better than
all of your French.
Speaker 3 (07:50):
That's just it. It's a given.
Speaker 2 (07:51):
The kid is he's got such a great personality, and
I keep having to remind myself this is a nineteen
year old who's in the US for the first time,
and his being asked after playing a full NBA basketball
games inane questions by random American announcer that's me and
is able to pull it off seamlessly. So hats off
again to the nineteen year old from Paris, France, t
(08:13):
Jon Salon. But that sounds like a very mature player
who's learning and understanding what these situations are calling for
and how he can improve his game to be even
better for the future.
Speaker 4 (08:25):
Yeah, he's been really good, and I think that the
biggest thing with Tijon hero over the last couple weeks
now is now that we're finally starting to see it
here on the floor, is just his confidence and how
much more confident he's being in himself and his abilities
and his talent, and it's all starting to come together
because again, like you mentioned, being nineteen years old, coming
over to a different continent, coming to a country that
(08:45):
you don't know as your first language, being English, and
trying to navigate all that stuff, and oh, by the way,
you're expected to perform at a really high level night
in and night out during an eighty two game season.
Now I know t Jhon of course, was in Greensboro
for a majority of this season and trying to get
some work done down there, which was kind of I
think the plan all along, but unfortunately the injuries kind
of derailed that, and he was playing a lot with
(09:06):
the big league club as well. So I think that
the fact that there's just that switch that's kind of
turned a little bit too. And I go back and
I think about whenever I was growing up and I
was playing football, and something that the coach has always
talked about, because I didn't start playing until as in
middle school, was it's going to take you some time
to get used to hitting somebody else. It's just not
a human nature that you're learned at at a young
(09:27):
age unless you're getting used to it. And it took
some time to kind of understand, like, you know, you
got to be aggressive, you got to be able to
hit people and that kind of stuff too, and not
just play paddy Cake and that kind of stuff. So
a tough analogy there in that sense, but it just
seems like it's finally able to click here for Tijon
in the sense that he's being confident. He understands that
even though he's a rookie, he still has these god
(09:49):
given abilities and his size and his athleticism is something
that he can use right now in present day. It
doesn't have to take an offseason to develop. He already
has those tools right here right now. He had to
play in the third quarter where he came down in
the lane and kind of did like an up and
undered layup, and that was something that I don't think
we've seen from Tjon basically all season. I know he
had a lot of threes in the game, and I'm
sure we'll touch on him a little bit later in
(10:10):
our Stars of the Night too, but he just continues
to feel more confident out there. I can feel the
confidence from sitting in a radio studio, so I can't
imagine what the coaching staff feels and what the players feel,
and maybe with the broadcaster calling a game from high
top fields as well.
Speaker 2 (10:23):
Yeah, he definitely seems to build as things go right
for him. It seems to in a good way, snowball
in a right direction for him. Also, you should be
thankful there was no Tjon Salon sized humans when you
were playing football.
Speaker 4 (10:35):
That might not I would have walked off the field
and said I'm never playing his game again.
Speaker 2 (10:39):
Perhaps the biggest win of the night not just the
Hornets getting the w improving the nineteen and fifty six
on the season, sweeping the season series from the Jazz
one ten to one zero six the final score, but
getting the young guys, getting the nineteen year old from
Paris the six to the overall pick from last year's drafts.
Some run in these clutch time scenarios. Definitely good lessons
to be learned in things he will certainly learned from
(11:02):
moving forward the rest of this year and further on
in his career. We've got stars of the night to select. Also,
some things to celebrate here in the Queens City, including
a playoff berth for the Greensboro Swarm. They are taking
on the Indiana mad Ants today, it's a twelve thirty
tip time. You can check out a watch party if
you're out in Greensboro. Go to the Swarm social media
(11:24):
site for more information there, and of course a g
league has the games being televised there, so you can
go through the Greensborough Swarm website and find the coverage
that fitch you. We'll get into that game preview and
select our stars of last night's game after this quick break.
Speaker 3 (11:39):
Here on the Hornets Tipcast.
Speaker 2 (11:44):
Sam Farbar, Rob Longo here with you on the AHHC
the Hornet Time Cast, brought to you by CENTA. Hornets
defeat the Utah Jazz one ten to one six last night,
completing the season sweep for the first time since the
nineteen ninety four to ninety five season. Now, Charlotte has
won the season series over Utah since then, but not
when multiple games were played. They won it with a
(12:05):
one game series. There was a shortened season. There's been
a couple of them in the last thirty years for
a couple of different reasons. But in one of them,
there was one headhead meeting in Charlotte won it. But
we're not using that as a sweep.
Speaker 3 (12:17):
Rob.
Speaker 2 (12:17):
We're going all the way back to nineteen ninety five.
We pulled the media crew when was what were you
doing the last time that Charlotte swept Utah in a
multiple game effort over a season? Checking in with Eric Collins,
the television voice of the Charlotte Hornets. He was in Rochester,
New York as a general news reporter, not doing sports
(12:39):
at the time. We all know where Del Curry was.
He was playing in the game. He was part of
the team, a fifty win team for Charlotte that got
a season sweep of karl Malone, John Stockton.
Speaker 3 (12:50):
And the Utah Jazz.
Speaker 2 (12:51):
I myself was a sixth grader aspiring for future basketball glory.
Speaker 3 (12:56):
I certainly thought I was going to be a player.
I was so wrong.
Speaker 2 (12:58):
But here we are Anywayso thirty years ago, what were
you up to?
Speaker 4 (13:03):
I was not fully conscious yet. I was not even
two years old, so I was still in diapers, didn't
have a fully developed conscious. So this is my first
recollection of the Hornet sweping Utah in franchise history.
Speaker 2 (13:15):
As far as I'm concerned outstanding, I feel great about
myself now. That's wonderful. I would love to hear what
all of you were doing thirty years ago when the Hornets.
Speaker 3 (13:23):
Last swept the Utah Jazz.
Speaker 2 (13:26):
One other thing to celebrate outside of the sweep, and
this is probably the most important thing to celebrate from
all that transpired yesterday, and that is that the Charlotte
Hornets Foundation presented its annual one hundred thousand dollars education
grant to Generation Nation. It's a local nonprofit that aims
to develop the next generation of civic leaders in Charlotte
and across North Carolina. The grant is going to be
(13:48):
used to enhance Generation Nations programming, including the Charlotte Mecklenburg
Youth Council, the Official Student Advisory Council for the City
of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County governments, and the North Carolina
Civics Coalition. This is a quote from Amy Ferrell, executive
director of Generation Nation. Generation Nation is dedicated to ensuring
every student has the opportunity to become a civic leader.
(14:10):
To support from the Hornets not only provides critical funding
for our civic literacy and student leadership programs, it also
affirms to everyone we serve, students, educators, family, school and
community leaders, and others that their involvement in the mission
is valued and truly matters. Hats off to all of
our teammates within Hornet Sports and l Entertainment who are
(14:31):
part of the process and working with the Charlotte Hornets Foundation,
and we're thrilled that the one hundred thousand dollars education
grant is going to go to a very worthy cause
in Generation Nation and looking forward to the fruits of
that influx of funding and how it helps out our
community both locally and across.
Speaker 3 (14:51):
The state for the future.
Speaker 2 (14:52):
So I wanted to highlight that Charlotte Hornets Foundation presenting
a one hundred thousand dollars education grant to Generation Nation
to help teach students about civic literacy. Not the only
win for the Hornets yesterday. In addition to handing out
a gigantic check, the Hornets able to come up with
a gigantic win over the Utah Jazz one ten to
(15:12):
one zero six the final score. A couple of players
had double doubles, several more were in double figures, rookies
getting into the late game closing scenario and helping the
Hornets to a win.
Speaker 3 (15:22):
Rob b longco plenty to choose from. Who do you
like at your Star of the night.
Speaker 4 (15:26):
It might be a little bit off the beaten path.
It might be something that I may be teased a
little bit earlier. But I'm gonna take the rookie Tjon
Salon and it's.
Speaker 2 (15:33):
Starting to rain again here inspector center Mkai Luke for
three no rebounded by Mark Williams. Hands to the Simpson
hit at Selon steps behind the arc. He wats another
three ball.
Speaker 3 (15:43):
Good again. Well, he's scalding hots.
Speaker 4 (15:47):
Tjon Salon twelve points in the game yesterday, went three
for three from beyond yard gall that coming in the
first half, as well, four for five from the field
in total, one to two at the free throw line.
Did split a pair at the end of the game,
but didn't really matter a whole lot. It's the first
one made it a four point game with about six
seconds left, missed the second one long rebound came back out.
kJ Simpson was able to just dribble out the clock,
(16:07):
so it didn't really matter a whole lot, you know,
in terms of just the defense as well, I thought
the defense was pretty solid as well. Two blocks. I
know that the plus minus is a technically a negative
five for him, a minus five and a plus minus,
But again, we can make plus minus whatever we want
in this sense. If it's good, you know, we can
always run it up. If it's bad, then we can
just ignore it. I don't really take a whole lot
of stock into what it did yesterday. For Tijon also
(16:30):
had four rebounds, a couple of assist sprinkled in there
as well. I thought that he played maybe one of
his best games as a rookie so far. I know
that the points weren't very high. I know that the
rebounds weren't a massive number either, but he just looked
very fluid out there.
Speaker 3 (16:43):
He looked like he belonged.
Speaker 4 (16:44):
Obviously, he was in there in the closing five, played
twenty five minutes in the contest yesterday as well. He
just seems so much more comfortable and so much more confident,
And I think that's gonna make a world of a
difference here for the last couple of games for t
john Szalon and going into the summer as well. So again,
maybe a culmination here of saying, you know, we were
looking for this from Tijon for the entirety of the season.
Maybe that's why I'm taking him as my silver lying selection.
(17:07):
But I think this is one of the games that
we can go back and look at and say this
is one that really developed Tijon into future X, Y
and Z. Whatever the future may be here and whatever
the future holds for Tjon's line.
Speaker 2 (17:17):
Well, it's certainly a good data point. That's the very
least that we can say. He's coming off of a
decent game against New Orleans, but one where he really
struggled with his shot. He was one for seven from
the floor, zero for six from three. In fact, in
his last three games he made just one out of
ten three point attempts. He was still putting up decent numbers,
particularly for a nineteen year old rookie coming off the bench.
(17:40):
He was averaging eight points and nine rebounds per game
in that stretch, so was still finding ways to be productive.
But he didn't allow that recent drought from deep to
deter him. And particularly again once he made one, he
was looking for his opportunities and he got himself in
a rhythm, but didn't go so far as to put
(18:01):
the team off kilter. I mean, he went three for
three from deep and then didn't force anything after that.
Shot just wasn't there, and so he went to plan
b and still found ways to have an impact twelve points,
four rebounds. A nice night for t Jon Salon, very
much like the pick tip of the cap to Mark
Williams in the middle. He had a huge fourth quarter
(18:22):
last night, twelve of his eighteen points coming in the
final frame. Over his last two games played he has
gone seventeen for eighteen from the floor, so super super
efficient and he comes up with an eighteen point thirteen
rebound double double. Was all said and done last night,
his nineteenth double double of the season. But this was
one where the leader of the team all season long
(18:43):
once again led the squad and led them across the
finish line. Got to give My Star the Night award
to Miles Bridges. Lobs it into Miles Bridges Bridges face
is up against kJ Martin spins baseline all pretty move
and the finish top the windowles. This has now had
two big double doubles head to head against Utah. In
(19:04):
the first game a win in Salt Lake City twenty
five points, ten rebounds, win, three of seven from beyond
the ark, and some similar numbers here in the contest
last night twenty six points, ten rebounds, also eight assists,
three for six from beyond the arc, and much like
t Jan Salon, Miles had been struggling with his three
point shot.
Speaker 3 (19:24):
In the last four games.
Speaker 2 (19:25):
He was three, four to thirty from beyond the arc,
but again still getting numbers on the board, still averaging
fifteen points per game in that span. Had just scored
twenty points the night before in a lost to New
Orleans where he was not part of the closing group,
the coaching staff trying a different mix there. Down to
the wire this time, Miles Bridges gets the nod for
the entirety of the fourth quarter and takes the team
(19:46):
across the finish line. Finishes with the twenty six points,
had five of them in the fourth quarter, twelve in
the second half, consistent throughout, knocks down three threes. A big,
big game for Miles Bridges, and for a guy who
has led this team very consistently. He has had his
own injury issues at times, but by and large, if
we're looking for the most consistently available Hornets, certainly amongst
(20:09):
the starring group, if you're looking at the quote unquote
core four Brandon Miller, LaMelo Ball, Mark Williams, and Miles Bridges,
Miles has been the one most consistently available. He needs
to play in a handful more games to hit the
sixty five game threshold, but regardless, he has just been
super productive, super consistent, a good leader for the young team,
(20:31):
and it's got to feel good for him to get
across the finish line with the W. They've been too
few and far between, and that comes with its own
set of frustrations. But Miles has brought a great attitude
to work each and every day and helped the Hornets
get the W. Charlotte now nineteen and fifty six again
their first sweep of Utah in a season where multiple
games were played between the two franchises in thirty years.
(20:52):
Congrats to the Hornets on resetting that clock to zero
and hopefully it stays there for several more seasons to come.
We still have a game to preview the the Charlotte
Hornets G League affiliate, the Greensboro Swarm in action today
against the Indiana mad Ants. We will see if the
Hornets are able to march on in the Eastern Conference
(21:12):
playoff bracket for the NBA G League. We'll talk about
what's at stake and players to watch coming up today
here after this on the Hornets.
Speaker 3 (21:19):
I've cast.
Speaker 2 (21:24):
Sam Farbara rob Longo here with you on the Hornets.
I've cast It is kind of a double dip edition. Yes,
it's a winning edition Hornets took down the Utah Jazz
last night.
Speaker 3 (21:32):
But also it's a game preview edition because.
Speaker 2 (21:35):
The Hornets G League affiliate, the Greensborough Swarm, are in
the postseason. They're currently in the Eastern Conference quarter finals.
They are squaring off against the Indiana mad Ants.
Speaker 3 (21:46):
The affiliate GE League affiliate of.
Speaker 2 (21:48):
The Indiana Pacers. Now, how did we get here? Indiana, Greensboro,
and the Capital City Go Go affiliate of the Washington
Wizards all finished the regular season with a record of
twenty and fourteen. I don't know how the G League
tie breaker system works, but whatever it was, Indiana ended
up with the upper hand. They host Greensboro here in
a one game quarter final, yes, one game in Indianapolis
(22:12):
Gainbridge field House, where the Cornets are playing the Pacers
tomorrow night. Winner takes all. Winner gets to go on
down to Florida and play against the one seed the
Magic G League affiliate. Winner of that one goes to
the conference final, which the highest remaining seed would host.
So In theory, if it's the Greensboro Swarm in the
capital city, go go going to that conference final on
(22:34):
April sixth. That game would in theory be hosted by Greensboro,
and after that, the winner of the conference Final goes
to the NBA G League Finals, which is a best
of three starting April eighth at the higher seed, April
eleventh the lower seed, and if necessary, the game three
to decide the champion for the g League this time around,
(22:55):
that will be on April fourteenth.
Speaker 3 (22:57):
Got it all all right?
Speaker 2 (22:58):
So the Greensboro visiting the Indiana mad Ants. There is
gonna be a watch party for the first ever playoff
game for the Greensboro Swarm. It's gonna take place at
Steel Hands Brewing in Greensboro. For more information, you can
follow the Swarm on social media at Greensboro Swarm as
well as go visit gsoswarm dot com. This one is
(23:20):
also going to be televised on to B and there's
plenty more information. Again, go to the Swarm's website for
all of it. But we want to give you a
game preview. We do keep a watchful eye on the
Swarm results throughout the season. More often than not, We'll
be honest. We're looking at the two way contract players
and how they're performing, but we see the similar names
(23:41):
come up time and time again for those who have
really performed well, and we want to give some love
their way. So Rob Longo, you're gonna get to lead
us off here game preview. You know how it works.
We need a player to watch for both teams as
well as it's tat to watch other than points.
Speaker 3 (23:53):
Because that's cheating.
Speaker 2 (23:53):
Whoever scores the most points wins the game. Where do
you want to start between the Swarm and.
Speaker 3 (23:58):
The mad Ants.
Speaker 4 (23:59):
If you would have told me before the season started that, hey,
we're gonna be doing a game for you of a
Greensboro Swarm game, I would have said, you are completely
out of your gord, But hey, I am happy to
do it. It is great that they are in the
playoffs for the first time in franchise history. I have
not doubt the Swarm ability to make the playoffs. I'm
doubting our ability to I don't know anyways, I'll just
(24:20):
leave it at that. So, I mean, this is some
uncharted territory here on a Hornets podcast. If we're gonna
say it, I'll just start with a Swarm player to watch,
and I think that the obvious pick here is gonna
be Jalen Simms. Jalen Simms, if you don't know, Charlotte native,
proud alum of United Faith Christian Academy, Go Falcons, Thrown
a little bit of love out there, like you like
(24:42):
to do here whenever we have some Charlotte Natives on
the broadcast. And again, Jalen Simms might be a familiar
name to some that are more hardcore Hornets fans. Went
undrafted back in twenty twenty two, went to UNC Wilmington
and was with Toronto in the Summer League in twenty
twenty two. Was then with the Hornets during preseason camp,
played one preseason game and was waived so that the
(25:02):
Hornets could keep his G League rights and would go
to the Swarm. And then he played in the Summer
League in twenty twenty three with the Hornets as well.
So he's a guy you might have heard from in
the past. He's averaging nineteen point five points per game.
He's averaging a little bit over five rebounds per contest
as well here for Greensboro this season. So kind of
the obvious pick. I think I know that. Obviously, there
(25:23):
are some of the two way guys or some of
the guys that went on assignment to Greensboro that had
some really outstanding games and some outstanding averages, But the
one consistent throughout the course of the season has been
Jalen Simms. So kind of an obvious player to watch
in my eyes, one of.
Speaker 2 (25:35):
The all time leaders in a variety of categories, not
just for the Swarm but the G League in general.
So a good pick. I'm going to go with another
guy who's had some NBA experience. That's Reggie Perry. He
was a second round pick back in twenty twenty. It's
gotten into a couple dozen NBA games, although none since
the twenty one twenty two season. He's played internationally, and
(25:55):
he's played primarily in the G League, certainly this season
going through the regular season, averaging pretty solid numbers over
seventeen points per game thirty four percent from three, which
is pretty solid for a guy of his size and
stature six', eight two hundred and fifty, pounds knows how
to use his weight in the paint previous. Years he
(26:15):
has averaged a double double in THE G league this
year and didn't quite get to that, range but eight
rebounds per. Game this is a, really really good player
and someone who The SWARM i think are going to
lean on to be productive here in whatever role he
finds himself. In he's been a, starter but he has
come off the bench previously in THE G league as.
Speaker 3 (26:36):
WELL i just think he's an interesting.
Speaker 2 (26:38):
Guy he is someone who HAS nba level size, experience
certainly a high high level player At Mississippi, state a
one time first Team ALL sec. Selection he's used to big.
Games he's used to these kinds of. Scenarios SO i
don't think he is gonna shrink under the spotlight of
THE G league. PLAYOFFS i think he's gonna. Thrive and
(26:59):
since you're Taking Ja, Sims i'm gonna go With Reggie
perry as My swarm player to watch next. Up do
you want a Mad ant or do you want to?
Speaker 4 (27:05):
Stats we'll go with A indiana Mad. Ant it's hard
to say not Fort wayne since that was there for.
Me just, dabble all, right dabble one other note.
Speaker 3 (27:16):
Here these two teams have met once. Before it didn't go.
Well it was a twenty one to ninety three win For.
Speaker 2 (27:21):
Indiana it did take place In, indianapolis and at the
time they had a lot OF nba talent on that.
Today Had Johnny, furfey who was their first round. Pick
they Had jalil okafor who's a former number three overall.
Pick they Had Enrique freeman who's had SOME nba, time
and all of them had double. DOUBLES i don't know
who's available quite frankly for either team that it's a
(27:42):
little bit more of a mystery for THE G league
even in the playoff. Times of, course there's a chance
that some of those bigger names will be available for
the Mad ants in the contest later on. Today but
just some context for maybe why that blowout. Happened because
The hornets had all of their two way contract players
at the time playing With charlotte And, indiana who is
in fourth place in The Eastern, conference didn't Need, theirs
(28:05):
didn't even need their first round, pick so they sent
him down to the Mad ants and went a little
crazy against The swarm in that.
Speaker 4 (28:12):
PARTICULAR i see what you did, THERE i see what
you did. THERE i try, Yeah, WELL i mean you
basically just recapped the entire Mad ants roster there more or.
Less AND i think that the one name that stands
out as a guy That i'm going to take and
that Is Julio oculfor like you, mentioned former number three
overall pick all the way back in twenty, fifteen three
years In, philadelphia spent some time In Detroit. Brooklyn he
played one game this season with the big league, club
(28:33):
if you want to call it, that with The. PACERS
i was against The knicks all the way back In.
February he only played three minutes in the. Contest so
he's been spending a lot of his time IN G
league trying to get back to THE nba level where he,
was and so far this, SEASON i, mean he's been pretty,
solid about eighteen points per. Contest he's averaging nine and
a half, rebounds about three assists as. Well he's played
in twenty six games For Fort. Wayne he seems to
(28:55):
be the more consistent guy for the Mad ants and
in a similar vein With Yilan. Sims not quite the
pedigree that he was drafted out Of, duke of, course
compared to Where Jalen simms, is But Jalen sims does
have SOME nba credibility to his name as, well so
could be an interesting. MATCHUP i, know that it's a
guard in a power forward or a center. Matchup but,
Again sims likes to get down, hill likes to attack the,
(29:16):
basket so it could be a meeting in the pain
in that. Sense But Julia localf is that one very
recognizable name here For, indiana and for good. REASON i,
mean he's been playing really good basketball here this season
in THE G.
Speaker 2 (29:28):
LEAGUE i thought about, him, obviously he is maybe the biggest,
name having been a former lottery, pick and so you,
KNOW i thought about taking, him but he hasn't always
been in the. Lineup thought About Enrique, freeman but similarly
hasn't always been in the. Lineup one guy who has
been in the lineup a lot but is also on
a two way contract is RAY. J. Dennis he played
For baylor to wrap up his college career with second
(29:51):
Team All Big, Ten big twelve sorry Sexty All Big,
Twelve Big Twelve All Newcomer. Team previously had been THE
Mac player of The year while playing for TO i
was in twenty twenty three win, undrafted but he's earned
a two way contract with The. Pacers they're in a
different place right down than The hornets. Are they don't
need their two way contract guys available for.
Speaker 3 (30:11):
Them so RAY.
Speaker 2 (30:11):
J dennis has played a lot in THE G league
and he has put up some big numbers twenty two
point two points per game this. SEASON i think guards
tend to have an oversized impact on. GAMES i say
that less than twenty four hours After Mark williams just
dominated the fourth quarter for The hornets and had a
double double and really kind of turned the. Tide his
minutes were maybe the most impactful For. Charlotte but, nonetheless
(30:34):
in the, playoffs you tend to see guards, shine and RAY.
J dennis is a guard and he's played very, well
So i'm gonna take him as my player to watch
for the Mad. Ants, last but not, least do you
have a stat to watch ROB i.
Speaker 4 (30:45):
Actually, Do and it's interesting when you look at the
numbers from the team totals around the, season these two
teams are very very. SIMILAR i mean basically every single
percentage that you can think, of every single number is
very very similar with one. Another and the one That
i'm gonna look is. Rebounding The swarm average forty four
point six rebounds per contest this. Season The indiana Mad
(31:06):
ants average forty four point three. REBOUNDS i, mean it
is a very minimal, advantage if you even want to
call it an. ADVANTAGE i, mean both these teams look
very evenly matched just on paper when you look at
the statistics and the, numbers and a twenty and fourteen
record for both sides would obviously say that as. Well
SO i think that in a game that is so,
tight with all of these numbers that you can look,
(31:28):
at it's just gonna come down to. Effort it's gonna
come down to. Rebounding whoever gets more boards is probably
gonna be the one that ends up winning this, game
just because you're gonna get either more opportunities offensively or
you're gonna shut down those second chance opportunities on a defensive.
Glass so for, me the rebounding is What i'm gonna
look at here this. Afternoon for The indiana Mad ants
and The Greensborough, swarm.
Speaker 2 (31:48):
We're thinking along similar, lines but in different directions Because
i'm GLAD i have brought you on board as a
disciple of more shots equals more opportunity to win the.
Game and it's going to be important Because indiana is
the second best team in THE G league when it
comes to field goal. Percentage but even though they're very
efficient from the, floor they are bottom five and. Steals
they do not take the ball away from, you so
(32:10):
you can't give it away to. Them that's why turnovers
is gonna be my stat to. WATCH i think this
is one where Given indiana has a really good team
in terms of center depth and, experience and that play
at that position is so, Strong greensboro can't afford to
just give away. Possession so they've got to win the
turnover battle for this. One one other thing to maybe
(32:32):
keep an eye on clutch. Time both these teams very
very good at the foul. Line they're number one and
two slight edge To greensboro best in THE G league
seventy nine point eight percent from the charity. Stripe but
if it comes down to those waning, moments being able
to knock down those clutch free, throws that is always.
Key But i'm gonna go in the possession. Battle you
went with the, Boards i'm going with the turnovers as
(32:53):
our stat to. Watch however it turns, out we will
be sure to give you the latest on THE G League.
Swarm hopefully they will be marching onto the conference Semifinals
conference finals and all the way to THE NBA G League,
finals hopefully hosting a game or two along the. Way
we're rooting them on The Greensboro. Swarm best of luck
today against The indiana Mad. Ants that's going to do
it for today's episode of The Hornets Hood. CAST a
(33:15):
reminder tomorrow will have a game preview For hornets Versus.
Paciers the big league clubs are going head to head
as well over the next forty eight. Hours Eric, collins
the television voice of The Charlotte, hornets will be my
guest here on THE hc till next. Time For Rob,
Loongo I'm Sam farber saying it's been a pleasure to
privilege having you along.
Speaker 3 (33:32):
And we'll talk to you tomorrow right here on The Hornets.
Speaker 1 (33:35):
Hoodcast thank you for listening To The Hornets, hoodcast brought
to you By, santa the official i ear nosen Throad
care provider of The Charlotte. Hornets for more, coverage Visit
hornets dot. Com
Welcome to the Hornets Hovecast, presented by Charlotte I ear
nosen Throat Associates, the official i ear nosen Throatcare provider
of the Charlotte Hornets. Here's your host, Sam Farber.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
Welcome to another edition of the Hornets Podcast, your Hornets
Podcast with all the notes, quote, san daily buzz around
your favorite NBA team. I'm Sam Farber and it is
a pleasure and a privilege have you with us here
once again on the Hornets Time Cast, brought to you
by Santa Charlotte I ear nosen Throat Associates, the official
I ear nosen throat Care provider of the Charlotte Hornets.
It's a winning edition of the AHHC. Hornets take down
(00:35):
the Utah Jazz final score one ten to one oh six.
Mini little history in the process. We're gonna break down
the victory, look at our stars of the night, and
also have a special game preview. It is a playoff
day for the Hornets franchise, their G League affiliate, the
Greensboro Swarm, already up in Indianapolis. The Hornets are playing
the Pacers tomorrow. We'll of course have that game preview
(00:56):
for you tomorrow but today we'll be previewing the postseason
matchup the Swarm. They need a win to advance on
to take on the number one seed, the affiliate of
the Magic. But you don't win today over the Pacers
G League affiliate, you aren't moving on. We'll give you
our game preview a little bit later on helping me
in all these topics, he's my producer on the Hornet
Trader Network as well as the producer of this fine podcast.
Speaker 3 (01:17):
Rob Longo, here with me once again. Rob. We always
love to celebrate the wins.
Speaker 2 (01:21):
Sadly, they have been fewer and farther between than we
were hoping for this season. But Charlotte came with a
good effort tonight took down the Utah Jazz one ten,
one zero six to the final score, and a lot
of things got accomplished.
Speaker 3 (01:34):
First off. Within the game, we saw big.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
Numbers from some of the few remaining big stars of
the team, those who are not lost for the rest
of the season due to injury. Miles Bridge is a
big double double, Mark Williams a big double double. But
the team also was able to accomplish some of the
other goals that it's looking to do right now. And
that's put some of their young players who have not
been through this very much before into some of those
(01:56):
pressure cookers scenarios and see how they come out on
the other end. So the Hornets, clearly, in a clutch
time game winning only by four points, had t Jon Salon,
had Nick Smith Junior, had kJ Simpson on the second
consecutive night back into these kinds of situations, and clearly
they benefited from the experience the night before in New
Orleans and helped win the day for the Hornets this
(02:18):
time around over.
Speaker 4 (02:19):
The Jazz, I know, Charlotte got a couple of pieces
back in Seth Curry and Mark Williams, definitely some veteran
guys obviously out there on the floor Josh Green as well,
and back into the starting five. So the Hornets did
get some firepower back compared to that New Orleans game
on Sunday. But yeah, I mean, it almost felt like
it was a completely different team. Amazing what happens when
you have just some resemblance of a full team and
(02:39):
not a bunch of players that are out on the
inactive report like it has been all season long for
Charlotte unfortunately. But yeah, I mean the younger guys played
the majority of the second half, of course, and they
got some really good moments in there in terms of
just trying to figure out what it takes to have
winning plays down the stretch. Hornets led this by as
many as fourteen in the first half, They led it
by seven at halftime, and then you go on to
(03:00):
the third quarter and Utah outscored the Hornets by five
in the frame, so it was only a two point
game going into the fourth quarter as it was. Utah
did tie the game at seventy eight with about a
minute twelve left to go in that third frame as well,
but Hornets close strong, did a pretty good job there
down the stretch. It was a little tenuous at times,
you can certainly say, but a lot of those younger
guys stepped up. I mean, the finishing five out there
(03:21):
on the floor yesterday was kJ Simpson, Josh Green, Miles Bridges,
Tjan Salon, and Mark Williams. And again, well I'm sure
we'll touch on Tjon a lot later on here in
a podcast, but you know, he certainly played a lot
of minutes yesterday. He certainly earned those minutes, and he
earned to be out there at the end because he
played really well. So again, very interesting finishing five compared
to the starting five Seth Curry was not out there,
(03:43):
but all things considered, those younger guys got a lot
of run yesterday. Nixt to mid Junior played twenty minutes.
And again, this is what you're looking at for at
this point of the season. You're trying to figure out
who you can trust more or less for lack of
a better term, who you know needs to have a
little bit more work in the offseason, maybe who ends
up going in the summer league as well. So there's
a lot of opportunities here in the offseason for these
(04:03):
guys to get better. And this is how you evaluate
who needs to get better in what categories moving forward
by putting them in these tense situations down to stretching
games like last night.
Speaker 2 (04:12):
Yeah, and I actually want to dig a little deeper
into it on the yonset because I mean, this is
a time of year where there's a lot of pessimists
out there across the NBA. They're looking at teams and
the rosters that are available and those players who are
ruled out for the season, and oftentimes there is a
very legitimate injury and sometimes teams don't need as much
coaxing as other points in the campaign to rule guys out.
(04:35):
You look at some of the players available for Utah
for instance, New Orleans for instance, towards the finish line,
and things are becoming self evident. What's trying to be accomplished?
Philadelphia another example. But there's always something to be gained
in every NBA opportunity, and I think that the Charlotte
Hornets are doing a good job here of making the
(04:56):
most of these opportunities here to plug some guys in.
Who if we're being honest, if this team's record was
flipped and they're closer to fifty six to nineteen versus
nineteen and fifty six, you're not gonna see t Jon
Salon in the closing minutes of a game that's within
two positions. You're not gonna see kJ Simpson running point.
(05:17):
So to have the opportunity to plug them into these
situations and see how they perform, that's great, and even
better on night two of a back to back, to
see how they learn the second time around. It's something
Hornet's head coach Charles Lee spoke about after the game.
The opportunity for learning for the younger members of this
(05:37):
Hornet's team.
Speaker 5 (05:38):
Yeah, no, it's great for kJ and Nick and t Jon.
Again defensively, just like the element of how much pace
the other team is trying to execute with, how much
physicality is there, especially when you're up in a situation
the other team's going to crash the glass relentlessly, and
so you got to do a really good job of
getting a hit and finishing a possession.
Speaker 3 (05:57):
You got to.
Speaker 5 (05:57):
Defend without failing, and have even more discipline. Those little
things that matter throughout the whole game. But at that
point of the game, the stakes are elevated, and so
I think it's huge for them to be in that situation.
Then offensively, to take a shot in the second quarter
with a five point lead or down five, it is
a lot different than fourth quarter with a minute left,
And for Tijan to step up there and knock down
(06:18):
those free throws and kJ to drive and get an assist,
I think it's huge. And you know, I love that
mixing in Miles with that group is really good too,
where I just see him communicating and talking and helping
us get into some things. So I thought it was
just a great effort by all.
Speaker 2 (06:33):
Good point there by Coach Charles lead too in that
it wasn't just the kids all playing with one another.
They had some veteran leadership on the floor in Miles Bridges.
Mark Williams still in his first one hundred and twenty
or so games of his NBA career, but he's been
in the league for a couple of extra years, so
definitely brings a little bit more presence to that situation
having been in them before. But I think it's a
(06:54):
great opportunity for some younger guys, and one in particular
who had a big game last night, t Jon Salon
was one of the stars of the show. He had
three big threes early in the game, but in those
crunch time minutes, as coach indicated, six seconds left, the
Hornets are up by three, he gets found. He goes
to the line and puts the game away effectively by
hitting one of the free throws. He had some big
(07:16):
rebounds down the stretch, and he was a part of
the closing group the night before in a narrow loss
to New Orleans. He talked after the game with me
on the Hornets Radio Network about learning over back to
back nights how to play in crunch time, so.
Speaker 6 (07:33):
Down phils after slow down, control the bull and yeah,
it's a great experience to play until the end. I
guess I can uh, I can to uh control the
game into the end.
Speaker 2 (07:46):
First off, as always, t Jon's English is better than
all of your French.
Speaker 3 (07:50):
That's just it. It's a given.
Speaker 2 (07:51):
The kid is he's got such a great personality, and
I keep having to remind myself this is a nineteen
year old who's in the US for the first time,
and his being asked after playing a full NBA basketball
games inane questions by random American announcer that's me and
is able to pull it off seamlessly. So hats off
again to the nineteen year old from Paris, France, t
(08:13):
Jon Salon. But that sounds like a very mature player
who's learning and understanding what these situations are calling for
and how he can improve his game to be even
better for the future.
Speaker 4 (08:25):
Yeah, he's been really good, and I think that the
biggest thing with Tijon hero over the last couple weeks
now is now that we're finally starting to see it
here on the floor, is just his confidence and how
much more confident he's being in himself and his abilities
and his talent, and it's all starting to come together
because again, like you mentioned, being nineteen years old, coming
over to a different continent, coming to a country that
(08:45):
you don't know as your first language, being English, and
trying to navigate all that stuff, and oh, by the way,
you're expected to perform at a really high level night
in and night out during an eighty two game season.
Now I know t Jhon of course, was in Greensboro
for a majority of this season and trying to get
some work done down there, which was kind of I
think the plan all along, but unfortunately the injuries kind
of derailed that, and he was playing a lot with
(09:06):
the big league club as well. So I think that
the fact that there's just that switch that's kind of
turned a little bit too. And I go back and
I think about whenever I was growing up and I
was playing football, and something that the coach has always
talked about, because I didn't start playing until as in
middle school, was it's going to take you some time
to get used to hitting somebody else. It's just not
a human nature that you're learned at at a young
(09:27):
age unless you're getting used to it. And it took
some time to kind of understand, like, you know, you
got to be aggressive, you got to be able to
hit people and that kind of stuff too, and not
just play paddy Cake and that kind of stuff. So
a tough analogy there in that sense, but it just
seems like it's finally able to click here for Tijon
in the sense that he's being confident. He understands that
even though he's a rookie, he still has these god
(09:49):
given abilities and his size and his athleticism is something
that he can use right now in present day. It
doesn't have to take an offseason to develop. He already
has those tools right here right now. He had to
play in the third quarter where he came down in
the lane and kind of did like an up and
undered layup, and that was something that I don't think
we've seen from Tjon basically all season. I know he
had a lot of threes in the game, and I'm
sure we'll touch on him a little bit later in
(10:10):
our Stars of the Night too, but he just continues
to feel more confident out there. I can feel the
confidence from sitting in a radio studio, so I can't
imagine what the coaching staff feels and what the players feel,
and maybe with the broadcaster calling a game from high
top fields as well.
Speaker 2 (10:23):
Yeah, he definitely seems to build as things go right
for him. It seems to in a good way, snowball
in a right direction for him. Also, you should be
thankful there was no Tjon Salon sized humans when you
were playing football.
Speaker 4 (10:35):
That might not I would have walked off the field
and said I'm never playing his game again.
Speaker 2 (10:39):
Perhaps the biggest win of the night not just the
Hornets getting the w improving the nineteen and fifty six
on the season, sweeping the season series from the Jazz
one ten to one zero six the final score, but
getting the young guys, getting the nineteen year old from
Paris the six to the overall pick from last year's drafts.
Some run in these clutch time scenarios. Definitely good lessons
to be learned in things he will certainly learned from
(11:02):
moving forward the rest of this year and further on
in his career. We've got stars of the night to select. Also,
some things to celebrate here in the Queens City, including
a playoff berth for the Greensboro Swarm. They are taking
on the Indiana mad Ants today, it's a twelve thirty
tip time. You can check out a watch party if
you're out in Greensboro. Go to the Swarm social media
(11:24):
site for more information there, and of course a g
league has the games being televised there, so you can
go through the Greensborough Swarm website and find the coverage
that fitch you. We'll get into that game preview and
select our stars of last night's game after this quick break.
Speaker 3 (11:39):
Here on the Hornets Tipcast.
Speaker 2 (11:44):
Sam Farbar, Rob Longo here with you on the AHHC
the Hornet Time Cast, brought to you by CENTA. Hornets
defeat the Utah Jazz one ten to one six last night,
completing the season sweep for the first time since the
nineteen ninety four to ninety five season. Now, Charlotte has
won the season series over Utah since then, but not
when multiple games were played. They won it with a
(12:05):
one game series. There was a shortened season. There's been
a couple of them in the last thirty years for
a couple of different reasons. But in one of them,
there was one headhead meeting in Charlotte won it. But
we're not using that as a sweep.
Speaker 3 (12:17):
Rob.
Speaker 2 (12:17):
We're going all the way back to nineteen ninety five.
We pulled the media crew when was what were you
doing the last time that Charlotte swept Utah in a
multiple game effort over a season? Checking in with Eric Collins,
the television voice of the Charlotte Hornets. He was in Rochester,
New York as a general news reporter, not doing sports
(12:39):
at the time. We all know where Del Curry was.
He was playing in the game. He was part of
the team, a fifty win team for Charlotte that got
a season sweep of karl Malone, John Stockton.
Speaker 3 (12:50):
And the Utah Jazz.
Speaker 2 (12:51):
I myself was a sixth grader aspiring for future basketball glory.
Speaker 3 (12:56):
I certainly thought I was going to be a player.
I was so wrong.
Speaker 2 (12:58):
But here we are Anywayso thirty years ago, what were
you up to?
Speaker 4 (13:03):
I was not fully conscious yet. I was not even
two years old, so I was still in diapers, didn't
have a fully developed conscious. So this is my first
recollection of the Hornet sweping Utah in franchise history.
Speaker 2 (13:15):
As far as I'm concerned outstanding, I feel great about
myself now. That's wonderful. I would love to hear what
all of you were doing thirty years ago when the Hornets.
Speaker 3 (13:23):
Last swept the Utah Jazz.
Speaker 2 (13:26):
One other thing to celebrate outside of the sweep, and
this is probably the most important thing to celebrate from
all that transpired yesterday, and that is that the Charlotte
Hornets Foundation presented its annual one hundred thousand dollars education
grant to Generation Nation. It's a local nonprofit that aims
to develop the next generation of civic leaders in Charlotte
and across North Carolina. The grant is going to be
(13:48):
used to enhance Generation Nations programming, including the Charlotte Mecklenburg
Youth Council, the Official Student Advisory Council for the City
of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County governments, and the North Carolina
Civics Coalition. This is a quote from Amy Ferrell, executive
director of Generation Nation. Generation Nation is dedicated to ensuring
every student has the opportunity to become a civic leader.
(14:10):
To support from the Hornets not only provides critical funding
for our civic literacy and student leadership programs, it also
affirms to everyone we serve, students, educators, family, school and
community leaders, and others that their involvement in the mission
is valued and truly matters. Hats off to all of
our teammates within Hornet Sports and l Entertainment who are
(14:31):
part of the process and working with the Charlotte Hornets Foundation,
and we're thrilled that the one hundred thousand dollars education
grant is going to go to a very worthy cause
in Generation Nation and looking forward to the fruits of
that influx of funding and how it helps out our
community both locally and across.
Speaker 3 (14:51):
The state for the future.
Speaker 2 (14:52):
So I wanted to highlight that Charlotte Hornets Foundation presenting
a one hundred thousand dollars education grant to Generation Nation
to help teach students about civic literacy. Not the only
win for the Hornets yesterday. In addition to handing out
a gigantic check, the Hornets able to come up with
a gigantic win over the Utah Jazz one ten to
(15:12):
one zero six the final score. A couple of players
had double doubles, several more were in double figures, rookies
getting into the late game closing scenario and helping the
Hornets to a win.
Speaker 3 (15:22):
Rob b longco plenty to choose from. Who do you
like at your Star of the night.
Speaker 4 (15:26):
It might be a little bit off the beaten path.
It might be something that I may be teased a
little bit earlier. But I'm gonna take the rookie Tjon
Salon and it's.
Speaker 2 (15:33):
Starting to rain again here inspector center Mkai Luke for
three no rebounded by Mark Williams. Hands to the Simpson
hit at Selon steps behind the arc. He wats another
three ball.
Speaker 3 (15:43):
Good again. Well, he's scalding hots.
Speaker 4 (15:47):
Tjon Salon twelve points in the game yesterday, went three
for three from beyond yard gall that coming in the
first half, as well, four for five from the field
in total, one to two at the free throw line.
Did split a pair at the end of the game,
but didn't really matter a whole lot. It's the first
one made it a four point game with about six
seconds left, missed the second one long rebound came back out.
kJ Simpson was able to just dribble out the clock,
(16:07):
so it didn't really matter a whole lot, you know,
in terms of just the defense as well, I thought
the defense was pretty solid as well. Two blocks. I
know that the plus minus is a technically a negative
five for him, a minus five and a plus minus,
But again, we can make plus minus whatever we want
in this sense. If it's good, you know, we can
always run it up. If it's bad, then we can
just ignore it. I don't really take a whole lot
of stock into what it did yesterday. For Tijon also
(16:30):
had four rebounds, a couple of assist sprinkled in there
as well. I thought that he played maybe one of
his best games as a rookie so far. I know
that the points weren't very high. I know that the
rebounds weren't a massive number either, but he just looked
very fluid out there.
Speaker 3 (16:43):
He looked like he belonged.
Speaker 4 (16:44):
Obviously, he was in there in the closing five, played
twenty five minutes in the contest yesterday as well. He
just seems so much more comfortable and so much more confident,
And I think that's gonna make a world of a
difference here for the last couple of games for t
john Szalon and going into the summer as well. So again,
maybe a culmination here of saying, you know, we were
looking for this from Tijon for the entirety of the season.
Maybe that's why I'm taking him as my silver lying selection.
(17:07):
But I think this is one of the games that
we can go back and look at and say this
is one that really developed Tijon into future X, Y
and Z. Whatever the future may be here and whatever
the future holds for Tjon's line.
Speaker 2 (17:17):
Well, it's certainly a good data point. That's the very
least that we can say. He's coming off of a
decent game against New Orleans, but one where he really
struggled with his shot. He was one for seven from
the floor, zero for six from three. In fact, in
his last three games he made just one out of
ten three point attempts. He was still putting up decent numbers,
particularly for a nineteen year old rookie coming off the bench.
(17:40):
He was averaging eight points and nine rebounds per game
in that stretch, so was still finding ways to be productive.
But he didn't allow that recent drought from deep to
deter him. And particularly again once he made one, he
was looking for his opportunities and he got himself in
a rhythm, but didn't go so far as to put
(18:01):
the team off kilter. I mean, he went three for
three from deep and then didn't force anything after that.
Shot just wasn't there, and so he went to plan
b and still found ways to have an impact twelve points,
four rebounds. A nice night for t Jon Salon, very
much like the pick tip of the cap to Mark
Williams in the middle. He had a huge fourth quarter
(18:22):
last night, twelve of his eighteen points coming in the
final frame. Over his last two games played he has
gone seventeen for eighteen from the floor, so super super
efficient and he comes up with an eighteen point thirteen
rebound double double. Was all said and done last night,
his nineteenth double double of the season. But this was
one where the leader of the team all season long
(18:43):
once again led the squad and led them across the
finish line. Got to give My Star the Night award
to Miles Bridges. Lobs it into Miles Bridges Bridges face
is up against kJ Martin spins baseline all pretty move
and the finish top the windowles. This has now had
two big double doubles head to head against Utah. In
(19:04):
the first game a win in Salt Lake City twenty
five points, ten rebounds, win, three of seven from beyond
the ark, and some similar numbers here in the contest
last night twenty six points, ten rebounds, also eight assists,
three for six from beyond the arc, and much like
t Jan Salon, Miles had been struggling with his three
point shot.
Speaker 3 (19:24):
In the last four games.
Speaker 2 (19:25):
He was three, four to thirty from beyond the arc,
but again still getting numbers on the board, still averaging
fifteen points per game in that span. Had just scored
twenty points the night before in a lost to New
Orleans where he was not part of the closing group,
the coaching staff trying a different mix there. Down to
the wire this time, Miles Bridges gets the nod for
the entirety of the fourth quarter and takes the team
(19:46):
across the finish line. Finishes with the twenty six points,
had five of them in the fourth quarter, twelve in
the second half, consistent throughout, knocks down three threes. A big,
big game for Miles Bridges, and for a guy who
has led this team very consistently. He has had his
own injury issues at times, but by and large, if
we're looking for the most consistently available Hornets, certainly amongst
(20:09):
the starring group, if you're looking at the quote unquote
core four Brandon Miller, LaMelo Ball, Mark Williams, and Miles Bridges,
Miles has been the one most consistently available. He needs
to play in a handful more games to hit the
sixty five game threshold, but regardless, he has just been
super productive, super consistent, a good leader for the young team,
(20:31):
and it's got to feel good for him to get
across the finish line with the W. They've been too
few and far between, and that comes with its own
set of frustrations. But Miles has brought a great attitude
to work each and every day and helped the Hornets
get the W. Charlotte now nineteen and fifty six again
their first sweep of Utah in a season where multiple
games were played between the two franchises in thirty years.
(20:52):
Congrats to the Hornets on resetting that clock to zero
and hopefully it stays there for several more seasons to come.
We still have a game to preview the the Charlotte
Hornets G League affiliate, the Greensboro Swarm in action today
against the Indiana mad Ants. We will see if the
Hornets are able to march on in the Eastern Conference
(21:12):
playoff bracket for the NBA G League. We'll talk about
what's at stake and players to watch coming up today
here after this on the Hornets.
Speaker 3 (21:19):
I've cast.
Speaker 2 (21:24):
Sam Farbara rob Longo here with you on the Hornets.
I've cast It is kind of a double dip edition. Yes,
it's a winning edition Hornets took down the Utah Jazz
last night.
Speaker 3 (21:32):
But also it's a game preview edition because.
Speaker 2 (21:35):
The Hornets G League affiliate, the Greensborough Swarm, are in
the postseason. They're currently in the Eastern Conference quarter finals.
They are squaring off against the Indiana mad Ants.
Speaker 3 (21:46):
The affiliate GE League affiliate of.
Speaker 2 (21:48):
The Indiana Pacers. Now, how did we get here? Indiana, Greensboro,
and the Capital City Go Go affiliate of the Washington
Wizards all finished the regular season with a record of
twenty and fourteen. I don't know how the G League
tie breaker system works, but whatever it was, Indiana ended
up with the upper hand. They host Greensboro here in
a one game quarter final, yes, one game in Indianapolis
(22:12):
Gainbridge field House, where the Cornets are playing the Pacers
tomorrow night. Winner takes all. Winner gets to go on
down to Florida and play against the one seed the
Magic G League affiliate. Winner of that one goes to
the conference final, which the highest remaining seed would host.
So In theory, if it's the Greensboro Swarm in the
capital city, go go going to that conference final on
(22:34):
April sixth. That game would in theory be hosted by Greensboro,
and after that, the winner of the conference Final goes
to the NBA G League Finals, which is a best
of three starting April eighth at the higher seed, April
eleventh the lower seed, and if necessary, the game three
to decide the champion for the g League this time around,
(22:55):
that will be on April fourteenth.
Speaker 3 (22:57):
Got it all all right?
Speaker 2 (22:58):
So the Greensboro visiting the Indiana mad Ants. There is
gonna be a watch party for the first ever playoff
game for the Greensboro Swarm. It's gonna take place at
Steel Hands Brewing in Greensboro. For more information, you can
follow the Swarm on social media at Greensboro Swarm as
well as go visit gsoswarm dot com. This one is
(23:20):
also going to be televised on to B and there's
plenty more information. Again, go to the Swarm's website for
all of it. But we want to give you a
game preview. We do keep a watchful eye on the
Swarm results throughout the season. More often than not, We'll
be honest. We're looking at the two way contract players
and how they're performing, but we see the similar names
(23:41):
come up time and time again for those who have
really performed well, and we want to give some love
their way. So Rob Longo, you're gonna get to lead
us off here game preview. You know how it works.
We need a player to watch for both teams as
well as it's tat to watch other than points.
Speaker 3 (23:53):
Because that's cheating.
Speaker 2 (23:53):
Whoever scores the most points wins the game. Where do
you want to start between the Swarm and.
Speaker 3 (23:58):
The mad Ants.
Speaker 4 (23:59):
If you would have told me before the season started that, hey,
we're gonna be doing a game for you of a
Greensboro Swarm game, I would have said, you are completely
out of your gord, But hey, I am happy to
do it. It is great that they are in the
playoffs for the first time in franchise history. I have
not doubt the Swarm ability to make the playoffs. I'm
doubting our ability to I don't know anyways, I'll just
(24:20):
leave it at that. So, I mean, this is some
uncharted territory here on a Hornets podcast. If we're gonna
say it, I'll just start with a Swarm player to watch,
and I think that the obvious pick here is gonna
be Jalen Simms. Jalen Simms, if you don't know, Charlotte native,
proud alum of United Faith Christian Academy, Go Falcons, Thrown
a little bit of love out there, like you like
(24:42):
to do here whenever we have some Charlotte Natives on
the broadcast. And again, Jalen Simms might be a familiar
name to some that are more hardcore Hornets fans. Went
undrafted back in twenty twenty two, went to UNC Wilmington
and was with Toronto in the Summer League in twenty
twenty two. Was then with the Hornets during preseason camp,
played one preseason game and was waived so that the
(25:02):
Hornets could keep his G League rights and would go
to the Swarm. And then he played in the Summer
League in twenty twenty three with the Hornets as well.
So he's a guy you might have heard from in
the past. He's averaging nineteen point five points per game.
He's averaging a little bit over five rebounds per contest
as well here for Greensboro this season. So kind of
the obvious pick. I think I know that. Obviously, there
(25:23):
are some of the two way guys or some of
the guys that went on assignment to Greensboro that had
some really outstanding games and some outstanding averages, But the
one consistent throughout the course of the season has been
Jalen Simms. So kind of an obvious player to watch
in my eyes, one of.
Speaker 2 (25:35):
The all time leaders in a variety of categories, not
just for the Swarm but the G League in general.
So a good pick. I'm going to go with another
guy who's had some NBA experience. That's Reggie Perry. He
was a second round pick back in twenty twenty. It's
gotten into a couple dozen NBA games, although none since
the twenty one twenty two season. He's played internationally, and
(25:55):
he's played primarily in the G League, certainly this season
going through the regular season, averaging pretty solid numbers over
seventeen points per game thirty four percent from three, which
is pretty solid for a guy of his size and
stature six', eight two hundred and fifty, pounds knows how
to use his weight in the paint previous. Years he
(26:15):
has averaged a double double in THE G league this
year and didn't quite get to that, range but eight
rebounds per. Game this is a, really really good player
and someone who The SWARM i think are going to
lean on to be productive here in whatever role he
finds himself. In he's been a, starter but he has
come off the bench previously in THE G league as.
Speaker 3 (26:36):
WELL i just think he's an interesting.
Speaker 2 (26:38):
Guy he is someone who HAS nba level size, experience
certainly a high high level player At Mississippi, state a
one time first Team ALL sec. Selection he's used to big.
Games he's used to these kinds of. Scenarios SO i
don't think he is gonna shrink under the spotlight of
THE G league. PLAYOFFS i think he's gonna. Thrive and
(26:59):
since you're Taking Ja, Sims i'm gonna go With Reggie
perry as My swarm player to watch next. Up do
you want a Mad ant or do you want to?
Speaker 4 (27:05):
Stats we'll go with A indiana Mad. Ant it's hard
to say not Fort wayne since that was there for.
Me just, dabble all, right dabble one other note.
Speaker 3 (27:16):
Here these two teams have met once. Before it didn't go.
Well it was a twenty one to ninety three win For.
Speaker 2 (27:21):
Indiana it did take place In, indianapolis and at the
time they had a lot OF nba talent on that.
Today Had Johnny, furfey who was their first round. Pick
they Had jalil okafor who's a former number three overall.
Pick they Had Enrique freeman who's had SOME nba, time
and all of them had double. DOUBLES i don't know
who's available quite frankly for either team that it's a
(27:42):
little bit more of a mystery for THE G league
even in the playoff. Times of, course there's a chance
that some of those bigger names will be available for
the Mad ants in the contest later on. Today but
just some context for maybe why that blowout. Happened because
The hornets had all of their two way contract players
at the time playing With charlotte And, indiana who is
in fourth place in The Eastern, conference didn't Need, theirs
(28:05):
didn't even need their first round, pick so they sent
him down to the Mad ants and went a little
crazy against The swarm in that.
Speaker 4 (28:12):
PARTICULAR i see what you did, THERE i see what
you did. THERE i try, Yeah, WELL i mean you
basically just recapped the entire Mad ants roster there more or.
Less AND i think that the one name that stands
out as a guy That i'm going to take and
that Is Julio oculfor like you, mentioned former number three
overall pick all the way back in twenty, fifteen three
years In, philadelphia spent some time In Detroit. Brooklyn he
played one game this season with the big league, club
(28:33):
if you want to call it, that with The. PACERS
i was against The knicks all the way back In.
February he only played three minutes in the. Contest so
he's been spending a lot of his time IN G
league trying to get back to THE nba level where he,
was and so far this, SEASON i, mean he's been pretty,
solid about eighteen points per. Contest he's averaging nine and
a half, rebounds about three assists as. Well he's played
in twenty six games For Fort. Wayne he seems to
(28:55):
be the more consistent guy for the Mad ants and
in a similar vein With Yilan. Sims not quite the
pedigree that he was drafted out Of, duke of, course
compared to Where Jalen simms, is But Jalen sims does
have SOME nba credibility to his name as, well so
could be an interesting. MATCHUP i, know that it's a
guard in a power forward or a center. Matchup but,
Again sims likes to get down, hill likes to attack the,
(29:16):
basket so it could be a meeting in the pain
in that. Sense But Julia localf is that one very
recognizable name here For, indiana and for good. REASON i,
mean he's been playing really good basketball here this season
in THE G.
Speaker 2 (29:28):
LEAGUE i thought about, him, obviously he is maybe the biggest,
name having been a former lottery, pick and so you,
KNOW i thought about taking, him but he hasn't always
been in the. Lineup thought About Enrique, freeman but similarly
hasn't always been in the. Lineup one guy who has
been in the lineup a lot but is also on
a two way contract is RAY. J. Dennis he played
For baylor to wrap up his college career with second
(29:51):
Team All Big, Ten big twelve sorry Sexty All Big,
Twelve Big Twelve All Newcomer. Team previously had been THE
Mac player of The year while playing for TO i
was in twenty twenty three win, undrafted but he's earned
a two way contract with The. Pacers they're in a
different place right down than The hornets. Are they don't
need their two way contract guys available for.
Speaker 3 (30:11):
Them so RAY.
Speaker 2 (30:11):
J dennis has played a lot in THE G league
and he has put up some big numbers twenty two
point two points per game this. SEASON i think guards
tend to have an oversized impact on. GAMES i say
that less than twenty four hours After Mark williams just
dominated the fourth quarter for The hornets and had a
double double and really kind of turned the. Tide his
minutes were maybe the most impactful For. Charlotte but, nonetheless
(30:34):
in the, playoffs you tend to see guards, shine and RAY.
J dennis is a guard and he's played very, well
So i'm gonna take him as my player to watch
for the Mad. Ants, last but not, least do you
have a stat to watch ROB i.
Speaker 4 (30:45):
Actually, Do and it's interesting when you look at the
numbers from the team totals around the, season these two
teams are very very. SIMILAR i mean basically every single
percentage that you can think, of every single number is
very very similar with one. Another and the one That
i'm gonna look is. Rebounding The swarm average forty four
point six rebounds per contest this. Season The indiana Mad
(31:06):
ants average forty four point three. REBOUNDS i, mean it
is a very minimal, advantage if you even want to
call it an. ADVANTAGE i, mean both these teams look
very evenly matched just on paper when you look at
the statistics and the, numbers and a twenty and fourteen
record for both sides would obviously say that as. Well
SO i think that in a game that is so,
tight with all of these numbers that you can look,
(31:28):
at it's just gonna come down to. Effort it's gonna
come down to. Rebounding whoever gets more boards is probably
gonna be the one that ends up winning this, game
just because you're gonna get either more opportunities offensively or
you're gonna shut down those second chance opportunities on a defensive.
Glass so for, me the rebounding is What i'm gonna
look at here this. Afternoon for The indiana Mad ants
and The Greensborough, swarm.
Speaker 2 (31:48):
We're thinking along similar, lines but in different directions Because
i'm GLAD i have brought you on board as a
disciple of more shots equals more opportunity to win the.
Game and it's going to be important Because indiana is
the second best team in THE G league when it
comes to field goal. Percentage but even though they're very
efficient from the, floor they are bottom five and. Steals
they do not take the ball away from, you so
(32:10):
you can't give it away to. Them that's why turnovers
is gonna be my stat to. WATCH i think this
is one where Given indiana has a really good team
in terms of center depth and, experience and that play
at that position is so, Strong greensboro can't afford to
just give away. Possession so they've got to win the
turnover battle for this. One one other thing to maybe
(32:32):
keep an eye on clutch. Time both these teams very
very good at the foul. Line they're number one and
two slight edge To greensboro best in THE G league
seventy nine point eight percent from the charity. Stripe but
if it comes down to those waning, moments being able
to knock down those clutch free, throws that is always.
Key But i'm gonna go in the possession. Battle you
went with the, Boards i'm going with the turnovers as
(32:53):
our stat to. Watch however it turns, out we will
be sure to give you the latest on THE G League.
Swarm hopefully they will be marching onto the conference Semifinals
conference finals and all the way to THE NBA G League,
finals hopefully hosting a game or two along the. Way
we're rooting them on The Greensboro. Swarm best of luck
today against The indiana Mad. Ants that's going to do
it for today's episode of The Hornets Hood. CAST a
(33:15):
reminder tomorrow will have a game preview For hornets Versus.
Paciers the big league clubs are going head to head
as well over the next forty eight. Hours Eric, collins
the television voice of The Charlotte, hornets will be my
guest here on THE hc till next. Time For Rob,
Loongo I'm Sam farber saying it's been a pleasure to
privilege having you along.
Speaker 3 (33:32):
And we'll talk to you tomorrow right here on The Hornets.
Speaker 1 (33:35):
Hoodcast thank you for listening To The Hornets, hoodcast brought
to you By, santa the official i ear nosen Throad
care provider of The Charlotte. Hornets for more, coverage Visit
hornets dot. Com
Hosts And Creators
Sam Farber
Rob Longo
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