April 10, 2024 • 28 mins
The Hornets wrapped up their final home game of the season with a 130-104 loss to a red-hot Dallas team. Rob Longo and Sam Perley break down the game and provide their silver-lining performances, and also preview Charlotte's game at Atlanta as the Hornets are on the second night of a back-to-back, facing a Hawks team that is also on the second night of a back-to-back coming off a double-overtime loss to Miami.
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Speaker 1 (00:02):
Welcome to the Hornets Hoodcast, presented by Charlotte I ear
Nosen Throat Associates, the official I ear Nosen Throatcare provider
of the Charlotte Hornets. Here's your host, Rob Longo.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Hi, friends, and welcome to today's edition of the Hornets
hood Cast, the official podcast of the Charlotte Hornets, brought
to you by Santa Charlotte ear Nose and Throat Associates,
the official I eir Knows and throw care.
Speaker 3 (00:23):
Provider of the Charlotte Hornets.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
Rob Longa with you after unfortunately a silver Linings edition
of the HHC. Charlotte falls at home last night to
the Dallas Mavericks one thirty to one oh four, final
home game of the season, final home game for head
coach Deve Clifford. We'll talk about that and some of
the honors that were displayed at Spectrum Center for him
last night. We'll also talk about our silver lining performances.
It's also a game day edition of the AHC and
(00:45):
Charlotte has its final back to back of the season.
They are in Atlanta tonight to take on the Hawks,
who might be a little tired, and we will explain
why here a little bit later on by helping me
out with all of these topics and segments here on
this edition of the Hornets hood Cast, one final time
in person this season, the one and only the writer
of Hornets dot Com, Sam Pereli. Sam, I know we'll
have you on for a couple of road games, but
good to see your smiley face here inside Spectrum Center,
(01:06):
across the desk from me.
Speaker 4 (01:08):
I suppose yes, starting another little streak of as mentioned
to Sam yesterday. I think, all, well, not tomorrow, it'll
be a Willy Palazku special. So he's interrupting the streak
that I was about to start, So never mind. But yeah,
we'll get you back on No. One. Squeezing in a
couple last ones here as the regular season is winding down.
Speaker 2 (01:25):
We figured we would throw one more to Willie p
just to wrap up the season before we get you
on for the final couple ones. But yeah, let's go
ahead and just break this one down. Hornets again. Fall
last night, one thirty to one oh four. Didn't play terrible,
ended up finishing the game forty four percent from the field,
about thirty one percent from beyond the yarc, sixteen to
twenty one at the free throw line. MAVs are just
a very good team and are playing really good basketball
right now. Fifty four percent from the field for Dallas,
(01:46):
thirty four percent from beyond the arc, but they also
chucked up fifty of them, and they were thirteen to
twenty from the free throw line. Biggest difference in this
one obviously Luka Doncic thirty nine points, twelve rebounds, ten assists,
his seventy seventh career triple double in the contest last
times James Harden for one of the most all time
here in NBA history. Around those constituents there, but again,
(02:07):
Luca was the one that basically was the difference. He
had a very big first quarter, twenty one, seven to
two in the first quarter alone. He finished the first
half twenty seven points, seven rebounds, five assists. Kyrie Irving
had a big game as well eighteen points, eight rebound,
nine assist. They got twenty six points from Daniel Gafford
as well. But all in all, the Mavericks played a
very good basketball game last night, and a lot of
it felt like it was a Luka Doncics, But be
(02:28):
also in that first half, a lot of second chance
points opportunities in that first half alone, Dallas had twenty
points off a ten offensive rebounds. The Hornets had just
two off a one offensive rebounds. So it seemed like
those two combinations in the first half really put this
one out of reach for the Hornet two were down
sixty nine to forty seven at halftime. They clawed back,
they made it a fourteen point deficit going into the
fourth quarter, but Dallas able to pull it away thirty
(02:50):
three to twenty one, outscoring the Hornets in that final frame.
But those were kind of the two big bullet points
are the ones that I really lean on there, Sam
about the reason why the Hornets lost the game last night.
Speaker 4 (02:59):
Yeah, it's just kind of a slow start. And when
you start slow, and I think Steve Clifford mentioned after
the game or before the game, it's that was not
the team to be starting slow against. That's a team
that is as playing as good as anybody in the
NBA right now. In the Dallas mavericks Ay talked a
little bit about the lineup switch they made back on
March seventh, putting Derek Jones Junior and Daniel Gafford into
(03:20):
the starting lineup. In Gafford, like you said, twenty six points,
tied a career high. Was also twelve of twelve from
the field, with eleven of those makes coming at the rim.
So a very good finishing game, needless to say on
his part. So he's been a good addition for them.
It felt like the start wasn't quite there, and you
know you're going up a team that is I think
Dallas was it needed a win in either a Phoenix
(03:41):
or New Orleans loss last night to come up with
a with a playoff berth. At the time of the recording,
we don't know whether those two one of those two
things happened in the New Orleans or Phoenix loss, but
they're obviously very close to securing that top six seeds,
so they were playing for something. The energy intensity wasn't
there from the start. Luca hit a lot of big
time ISO three that there's just almost nothing you could do.
(04:02):
It's they're almost indefensible, and I think it just it
kind of took a little bit of whatever little win
the Hornets had in their sales. It kind of ripped
it out, and like you said, the second chance points,
it didn't even really feel like it was a physicality thing.
I felt like a lot of tapouts, a lot of klebud.
He just was so good at kind of directing those
basically just to facto passes, and they would kick it
around the perimeter and find another open three. So they
(04:24):
just got down by too much and it just was
way too big a hole to come back in the
second half.
Speaker 2 (04:28):
It was a fairly emotional beginning of the game here,
a lot going on. Obviously, last home game for head
coach Steve Clifford here as the head coach of the
Hornets before he steps down at the end of the season.
Homecoming from PJ Washington, his first game back since being
dealt at the trade deadline, Grant Williams going up against
his former team. Unfortunately, Seth Curry was heard he couldn't
go up against some Avericks Thalas Bretons did play a
(04:49):
season in Dallas a year ago, but not as big
of a factor compared to Sunday's game against Oklahoma City,
the most recent former team for him now as of late,
but a lot of storylines going in to this one.
Before the game as well, Head coach Steve Clifford was
honored with a little pregame ceremony, giving a customized jersey
out on the court commemorating his seven seasons coach here
(05:10):
into Queen City. Between both stints and before the game,
there was a little bit of a thank you video
with some of his former players thanking him for his
guidance over the course of several seasons here in Charlotte.
Here's a little excerpt from that video and some of
the recent players and some of the modern players too,
of who Steve Clifford coached.
Speaker 5 (05:28):
Having him as well, you know, first NBA coach, I
think that's a good team.
Speaker 6 (05:31):
First of all, I want to say thank you all
the young men that you've coached, been a mentor to
on the basketball court and off the court as well.
It's been truly amazing.
Speaker 5 (05:38):
All the advice, helping me become a better player, helping
me gain confidence. You know that has all the experience,
so just love playing for.
Speaker 6 (05:45):
Cliff I think I speak for all the guys in
the NBA that you've ever coached, just saying how amazing
you are. I just really want to say thank you.
Speaker 2 (05:52):
The franchise leader and wins to.
Speaker 1 (05:57):
Hey practice tomorrow seven.
Speaker 6 (06:00):
To anybody that's ever been a Charlotte Ordens fan, I'm
sure they want to say thank you as well, favors
that you're done for the city of Charlotte, not only.
Speaker 1 (06:06):
As a coach, but as a person. Love you, man,
love you.
Speaker 7 (06:09):
Co me to you.
Speaker 6 (06:10):
I want to say thank you and good luck in
the next life.
Speaker 2 (06:13):
A couple of great hornets. And here Marvin Williams Kemba
Walker as well. Randon Millier heard in that little montage
as well. After the game, Steve Colveran was asked about
the ceremony before the game.
Speaker 3 (06:23):
Here's what he had to say.
Speaker 7 (06:25):
It was nice, really nice, and I appreciate, you know,
everybody putting, you know, organization of that, and you know,
that's something that I'll treasure going forward.
Speaker 6 (06:37):
You know.
Speaker 7 (06:38):
Obviously kem Be and Marvin I'm really close with because
I coach someone longer. And I have a really good
relationship with Brandon, and I'm looking forward to having that grow,
you know, over these next few, you know whatever years,
as long as I'm still here. So that'll be something
that I'll take and you know, when I'm by myself, right,
I'll watch it, you know, and go for there. You know.
(07:00):
I just the thing that's hard tonight, that's really of
the eight games here at home, we just didn't have
any intensity to start. And when you get down behind
a team like that that they put so much pressure
on you and either one of those guys have the ball,
because really the two middle quarters we played pretty well,
you know, a lot better, But you can't get behind
(07:20):
like that at home, you know, especially they're playing that's
a huge game for them, you know. So these next
three Boston will be different, probably, you know, because they
play Thursday and that game is meaningless for them. So
I don't know, but you know, like Sunday and tomorrow
night for Atlanta, that'll be a big game for them.
Speaker 2 (07:37):
I think that entire clip right there, Sam encapsulates Steve Clifford.
He goes from talking about how it was very nice
montage and he just goes immediately back into coach speak
and talking about how the energy needs to change for
today's game against the Hawks and all of that stuff.
I feel like that is just coach cliff to a
t where he might recognize that something was nice given
(07:57):
to him, but then it's just immediately back to the
team and back to trying to win basketball games.
Speaker 4 (08:01):
Yeah, and this is something that he spoke a little
bit about last week when he made the decision to
step down. And I think that's, like you said, it's
kind of the way he thinks is he kind of
wants to focus on the season. There will be a
time and a place, a moment when he kind of
could sit back and reflect on everything. And I think
the last thing he wants to do is when that
time comes is sit back and reflect on it and say,
(08:22):
you know what, I kind of wasn't fully invested in
those last six or seven games because I was thinking
about kind of the other stuff. Like you said, that's
exactly how he operates. It's exactly how he's always operated.
He's always thinking about the game, what went right, what
went wrong? These little plays, the level of detail, you know,
And I think he knows he owes it to himself
when he kind of takes a I think it's kind
of like all of us too, in a sense, when
(08:42):
you when you finish a season in particular, it's it
takes a few days and you take a step back
and then you're like, okay, you know it's you can
kind of look back at a little bit. But when
you're in it right now, as you know, as we are,
we're kind of and again I'm not comparing what we
do to head coaching in the NBA. But when you're
in it, you're always kind of thinking about the next game,
or thinking about last game and finishing all the work
for that one and getting ready for the next one,
(09:03):
like we're doing right now exactly. We're just finishing this
Mavericks game and getting thinking about the Hawks game coming up.
So I know he's very reflective, and I know he's
very blessed and thankful and appreciative of, you know, his
head coaching. Ten you're not only in Charlotte but in Orlando,
and he'll definitely give it the proper reflection. And he's
also very excited, as you could tell in that press
conference last week about the next step in the MBA
(09:26):
and learning and still being closely tied to the franchise.
So but yeah, you're definitely right. That was very Steve
Clifford asked to kind of blend the two feelings there.
Speaker 2 (09:37):
One more comment before we go on to our silver
lining segment here on today's edition of the Hornets iovecast.
After the game, Grant Williams talked about coach cliff and
some of the frustrations that it brought, not only hearing
that Steve Clifford is going to step down at the
end of the season, but the play that the Hornets
have put together because of the fact that Grant just
wanted to send him out on a winning note, Yeah, it.
Speaker 3 (09:58):
Was for me.
Speaker 5 (09:59):
I can only speak for us off, but I was
definitely caught off guard and kind of sad because you know,
I really enjoyed the time that I've had here and
try out so far, and I think that we have
potential for the future, and I thought cliff was gonna
be that guy that lead us to it. And you know,
sometimes you can't control things in the world, and it
sucks that you know he's having a step away, and
(10:20):
you know, it definitely was a sad moment for me,
just because I really really love Cliff as a coach
and as a man, and he does a phenomenal job
of communicating not only as a coach but also as
a person. And I think everybody that's played for him
or been around him could say that.
Speaker 2 (10:33):
Still three more opportunities, though, to send coach cliff out
on a winning note that begins tonight in Atlanta will
have her game prevy here in just a couple of moments.
But coming up next here on this episode of the
Hornet Podcast, we're gonna talk about our silver linings from
last night's game again, Hornets fall last night one thirty
to one oh four. Silver linings on the way right
after this here on a Hornetsive cast, Rob Longo in
(10:56):
lead writer of Hornets dot Com Sam Purley. On this
edition of the Age, see Hornets fall last night to
Dallas to wrap up in eight game homestand a franchise
record eight game homestand it is and they fall one
thirty to one oh four. Also the final home game
of the season for the Hornets. They will have three
games on the road to finish off the season. Time
now for our silver lining performances. Of course, if we
(11:16):
could pick one, it would probably be Luka Doncic thirty
nine points, twelve rebounds Tennis is for a triple double
last night for the Mavericks. He was by far the
best player out there on the floor for either side,
but the Hornets had a lot of nominees as well.
Myles Bridge is a team high twenty two points, Brandon
Miller had twenty one all In all, five players finished
in double figures for the Hornets. So Sam, probably with
all that said, who's your silver lining performer from last
(11:37):
night's game?
Speaker 4 (11:38):
Your top one yes on the Hornets side, I will
lightly second that Luka Doncic. He was spectacular last night.
I'll go with Miles Bridges silver lining for the Hornets
team high twenty two points, was eight to fifteen from
the field, two to four from three, hit all four
of his free throws, had five rebounds, three assists, a
steal and a block, and played thirty six minutes as well.
(11:59):
I thought he would helped him kind of keep things
afloat a little bit in that third quarter, keep them
within striking distance. I think he had thirteen points in
the third to get it. I think the Hornets were
down maybe fourteen going into the fourth after trailing by
twenty two at halftime. So I thought it was really
good and it just solid. You know, he taking good
shots and you know, attacking the basket things like that.
(12:20):
And he also on a milestone alert, moved into eighth
place on the Hornets all time scoring leader board, passing
Raymond Felton. I think Miles is now at five three
hundred and twenty points. I needed fourteen coming in, so
a little bit of history for Miles in a silver
Lining performance last night.
Speaker 2 (12:37):
Lexie Polkashevski to the post, Miles bridges against Jones, backs
his way in, goes right around him over the right
hand floater, got it.
Speaker 1 (12:44):
Plus the foul.
Speaker 2 (12:45):
Yeah, a little bit of a slow start for Miles
last night, but he finished with those twenty two points,
thirteen of his twenty two coming in that third quarter,
like you mentioned, which again I thought kept the team
afloat there, considering that the Hornets did close the third
quarter on a twelve to two run in the final
three minutes and twelve seconds to kind of get themselves
back into it. But unfortunately Dallas, like I mentioned in
the first thing, with outscoring the Hornet's thirty three to
(13:05):
twenty one there in that fourth quarter to really put
things out of reach, shooting sixty one percent from the
field in that final frame as well. But for me
my silver Lining performance, I think I took him the
other day as well. I might as well just stay
with this hot hand. It's gonna be Trey mann.
Speaker 4 (13:19):
Man the steal, He'll rise, delay and.
Speaker 1 (13:21):
Yes, Canada foul.
Speaker 5 (13:23):
He picks Kyrie's pocket and then draws the frustration foul
on the opposite end and has himself a three point
play opportunity.
Speaker 2 (13:31):
I thought Trey played a complete game. I know he's
been kind of I don't want to say cornered into
that two guard spot here as of late, but he's
been playing more of the two with Vasa Michiz playing
the main point guard duties. But training a game last
night eleven points, five rebound, six assists off five to
thirteen shooting three point shot wasn't there just ove two
from beyond the arc? But all in all, I really
like what Trey Mann did out there. I know he
(13:52):
had a couple of steels sprinkled in defensively as well,
But again, I think he's one of those guys that's
just been so consistent here for the Hornets ever since
he's been dealt from Oklahoma City. I know he had
a couple of rough patches there as of late in
terms of games where he might have had a couple
of too many turnovers and that sort of thing. But
I thought he played a pretty solid game in the
contest last night. A couple of other cap tips out there,
(14:13):
Brandon Miller twenty one points off of four of eight
from beyond the Ark also had six rebounds.
Speaker 3 (14:18):
And for assists.
Speaker 2 (14:18):
Grant Williams had twelve points as well, five to twelve,
shooting just one for five beyond the York, but he
also had three rebounds and for assists. Obas Berton's got
hot off the bench, especially in the second quarter, ten
of his thirteen coming in that second frame. He had
a couple of way deep three pointers. He was three
to seven from beyond the York. He also had four
rebounds as well in the contest last night, so a
couple of cap tips sprinkled out there. One other person
(14:41):
to mention as well, PJ Washington in his homecoming, a
little bit of a rough day there for the MAVs.
He finished with just one point. He was one for
two from the free throw line, oh for seven from
the field, oh for six beyond york. Did have seven
rebounds and three assists. But again, don't have to do
a whole lot when you have a guy like Luka
Dauntic on the other side that goes for thirty nine,
twelve and ten in the game. Hornets fall last night
(15:01):
one thirty to one oh four. It's also a game
day though, quick turnaround here for the Hornets final back
the back of the season. They are in Atlanta taken
on the Hawks tonight. We will have her game previewfore
you right after this here on a Hornet Time Cast.
Speaker 3 (15:16):
It's a game day edition of the AJHC.
Speaker 2 (15:18):
Rob Longo and the lead writer of Hornets dot Com,
Sam Burley with you on this game day segment of
the Hornet Time Cast. Hornet's taken on the Atlanta Hawks tonight.
As we get set for this one, we will have
our players to watch in our stat to watch a
little bit of a primer heading into this one. Though
Atlanta might be on some tired legs here this evening.
I know they get to sleep in their own beds tonight,
but they had to play a double overtime game last
(15:39):
night against the Miami Heat and they eventually lost one
seventeen to one eleven. Tyler Hero had a game high
thirty three points for the Heat, but on the other side,
a lot of stars for the Hawks, who are still
without Trey Young going into the home stretch of the season.
De Jontay Murray finished with twenty nine points, thirteen rebounds
thirteen assists for a triple double. He played forty nine
(16:00):
minutes in the game last night. Bogey Bogdanovic played forty
five minutes with just eleven points. DeAndre Unhurt played forty
seven minutes. He had twenty three points on eleven rebounds
in the game last night as well, so a lot
of tired legs potentially out there for the Hawks again.
Last time the Hornets were in Atlanta did not go well,
a one to thirty two to ninety one loss in Atlanta.
(16:21):
Miles Bridges had a team high twenty seven points in
that one. De Jontay Murray game high twenty eight for
the Hawks. He also had seven rebounds and twelve assists.
Atlanta outscored Charlotte thirty three to seventeen in the final frame.
The Hawks also got a lot of help off the
bench in now one A had twenty from Garrison Matthews.
Bruno Fernando had a career high twenty five points coming
off the bench as well. Those two did not touch
those numbers at all last night. Fernando had twelve points
(16:44):
in the game, Garrison Matthews had eleven. So we'll see
what is in store for the Hornets to night. Who again,
maybe a little bit of a silver lining because the
game was out of reach later in the contest. Hornet's
got a lot of those starters out there with about
four minutes left in the contest to get some rest
there before the second night of back to back. So
with that sprinkling in with the fact that Atlanta played
a double overtime game last night, it'll be interesting to
(17:06):
see what happens here this evening in Atlanta. But Sam Parla,
you know how all these game previews work. We need
a Hornet to watch, a Hawk to watch, and a
stat to watch. Where would you like to begin.
Speaker 4 (17:14):
Yes, And one more quick thing on that Atlanta double overtime.
I was watching that game last night. I was just
finishing up writing and I saw it going to overtime
and then saw it, Hey, double overtime, keep it going,
like just you know where those legs a six overtimes,
keep it keep them going. And I would test it
coming out of a double overtime game and not winning
that one only makes it up.
Speaker 3 (17:33):
Yeah, that's gonna hurt a little bit too.
Speaker 4 (17:35):
And this again will be a game that Atlanta needs.
As of right now, they are one game back of
Chicago in the Eastern Conference standings. They're going to be
in the nine to ten playing game. In all likelihood,
it's just a matter of actually definitely will be. It's
just a matter of whether Chicago or Atlanta is going
to host that one. So Atlanta will definitely be need
to win this one or wants to win this one
for sure, because that could be the difference between advancing
(17:57):
to that seven eight game or not. So my hornet
to watch is going to be a Vacilier meat chitch.
A little bit of a tough one last night for Vasilier.
Had just six points, three to ten from the field,
missed all three threes, didn't get to the line, only
had two rebounds and four assists. Was a really good
home stand overall for him. He in the six games
that he played prior to this Mavericks one, he was
(18:17):
averaging a double double twelve and a half points, ten
point two assists, shot forty one percent, and also was
averaging one point two steals. So just had a little
bit of an off night. I expecting me to kind
of get back where he was scoring a double figure
seven eight nine assists. Refacing his Serbian national teammate bogged
Don Boganovich, so maybe that will give him a little
bit of extra motivation as well as Igor Koshkov, who
(18:38):
was also a Serbian assistant coach for the Hawks as well.
So maybe that'll kind of get the competitive fire going
for Vasa tonight.
Speaker 3 (18:45):
I mean, that's a big game for Poku as well,
another Serbian that's as well.
Speaker 4 (18:48):
Yeah, exactly, that could be Uh he can add him
there as my guy to watch, So yeah, it.
Speaker 2 (18:52):
Could be a lot going on there in the game
tonight here Serbian wise apparently. But for me, I understand
the dynamic of picking guy that might have had bad
games and are looking for bounce backs. I do that
a lot too when I'm looking at players to watch.
But one of the guys that I'm really going to
key in on tonight's gonna be Grant Williams. I know,
he had the twelve points and the four assists and
three rebounds, and he was five to twelve from the
(19:13):
field in last night's game, just one to five beyond
the arc. But it feels like anytime that the Hornets
play the Hawks and they elect to go small, it
works out really really well in Charlotte's favor. It feels
like Clint Coppella has a hard time when the floor
is stretched against him, and I know that it doesn't
look like that all the time, especially if you go
back to that game last night against Miami where bam
Adebayo's out there and he's one of those more traditional centers.
(19:37):
He can step out and hit a three. I mean, heck,
he was two for two beyond the arc last night.
But Clint Coppella, I always feel like, has some trouble
guarding those smaller guys. He's more of your traditional rim protector.
So if Grant Williams is able to step out, and
if he's able to do better than one for five
from three and force players to come out and guard
him and force Clint Capella out of the paint, I
think that's going to open up a lot offensively here
for the Hornets tonight. So I think that's why Grant
(19:58):
Williams might be the key in this one this evening
for the Hornets. But that said, you have to go
with a hawk to watch and a stat to watch.
Where would you like go next?
Speaker 4 (20:06):
I will go with a hawk to watch. My hawk
to watch is going to be de Jonte Murray. Last
time the Hornets saw the Hawks a few weeks ago,
he had twenty eight points ten to fourteen, shooting seven
of nine threes, tied a season high for threes, also
had seven rebounds, twelve assists, four steals, and he only
played thirty one minutes that game too. I think they
probably pulled him at the start of the fourth quarter
because it started to get out of hand. But felt
(20:27):
like he just went on a run in that game
where he was hitting everything left and right, and I
really got into a groove. And since that game, or
in counting that game, Atlanta has gone six and four
and he's averaging twenty three point six points but taking
twenty one shots of games, so he hasn't been super efficient,
you know, shooting about forty four percent from the field.
I want to say forty three thirty seven percent from three.
(20:50):
Another kind of strange thing about him, does not get
to the line very often in this ten game stretch,
averaging two point two free throws, but also six point
two rebounds, nine point nine assists, and one point eight steals.
This is all without Trey Young as well. So has
had some games where he is can't miss and had
a lot of games where he is just taking a
whole lot of shots and not really getting to the
line not being super efficient, So hopefully the Hornets can
(21:13):
kind of force him a little bit into the ladder
and not get him going like they saw a few
weeks ago, because a repeat of that would certainly not
be good.
Speaker 2 (21:20):
And over those last ten games, I think a lot
of that has been inflated a little bit as well,
considering he had forty four points against Boston back at
the end of March, and in that game you talk
about the efficiency, he took forty four shots. In that contest,
he was eighteen to forty four from the field, six
to nineteen from beyond the arc, and again just two
for two at the free throw line. So it's interesting
to see how many shot attempts he's really going to
(21:42):
put up. I'll be honest, he was going to be
my hawk to watch if you didn't take him. So
with that said, I got to kind of pivot in
a little bit of a different direction, and for me,
I think to kind of go along with the center
position or the battle in the paint more or less.
I'm gonna look at Bruno Nando and I know that
it might be a little odd. We don't talk about
(22:03):
Bruno per se. Maybe on his podcast you a Disney
fan there, Sam and Conto reference get it.
Speaker 4 (22:08):
Nope, I have seen the movie and I feel like
you had this teed up the entire day.
Speaker 3 (22:13):
Okay, that's fair.
Speaker 2 (22:13):
I didn't have a teed up the entire day, but
it's something that Sam and I joked about him between
breaks the last Hawks game. But again, Fernando had a
really big game that last contest. He only had twelve
points against the Heat last night, four or five shooting
from the field, so he was efficient. But the thing
about him is he is a more traditional center. And
right now, the way, if you go back to the
last time that these two teams played, it was a
(22:37):
flip in the starting lineup. It was Grant Williams coming
off the bench and it was Nick Richards getting the start.
And Nick Richards in that game was a minus seventeen
and the plus minus Grant Williams was a minus twenty
nine because most of the time, because of the way
the rotations worked out, it was Williams against Fernando. So
I think the fact that if you're able to switch
it a little bit and hornets are able to go small,
because like I talked about, Cli Capella has a little
(22:58):
bit more difficulty guarding small ball fives. That gives Grant
Williams an advantage. I feel like that plays into the
hand a little bit of Nick Richards as well, kind
of going strength for strength.
Speaker 3 (23:07):
In a sense in that matchup.
Speaker 2 (23:08):
So that's why I'm taking Fernando in this game tonight
in terms of my Hawks player to watch. So that
leaves us with just a statistic to watch. What's the
number you're keeping an eye on tonight.
Speaker 4 (23:18):
And real quick on the Bruno the Bruno thing and
Yaka Konglus is continuing to deal with a very prolonged
toe injury. He's only played two games since the All
Star Break. He was not in that March twenty third game. Yeah,
they don't have a lot of size on that team
right now, exactly. Yeah, and he's not a super big
center to begin with, so they could obviously turn to
Fernando again, and especially with how while he played against
(23:38):
the Hornets last time. But my stat to watch night
is going to be three point shooting. And I originally
made this note before the Hawks shot ten of forty
six against the Heat for twenty one point seven percent
in that double overtime loss. But from opening night to
March twenty first, which was the game before they faced
the Hornets. In the game we've been referencing, they were
eighteenth in the NBA and three point percentage. They are
(24:00):
eleventh in the NBA in the ten games since. They
were actually up to fifth in the nine games and
then dropped to eleventh after shooting ten to forty six
against the Heat last night. But in that stretch they've
had five players Garrison Matthews, who I think is leading
the league in three point percentage right now, where is
very close, vit Kreischi, Jalen Johnson, Jantie Murray, and Bogdan Bogdanovic,
all shooting at least thirty six percent on three attempts
(24:21):
per game. I think the Hornets have actually done really
well the three point line. They've been shooting pretty well.
I like the five out offense with Grant Williams. The
game against the Mavericks, they are only twenty of thirty
two for thirty one thirty one percent, so that was
kind of obviously not as good as they had been shooting.
But I think three point shooting opened the floor a
little bit, knock down some shots. I think you move
Williams around a little bit more and kind of get
(24:43):
the open looks going. I think i Vasili has a
little bit of a better game too, that could kind
of generate some facilitating and some opening opportunities. So three
point shooting. Hopefully the Hornets shoot much better than they
did last night, and hopefully the Hawks shoot what they
shot last night, or preferably even worse than the ten
of forty six they had against Miami.
Speaker 2 (25:02):
Well, if that is the case, then they're gonna have
to really focus in on my stat to watch, and
that's gonna be the rebounding because the Hornets just got absolutely.
Speaker 3 (25:09):
Decimated last night by the Mavericks.
Speaker 2 (25:11):
They got out rebounded fifty five to thirty nine in
the game second chance points twenty eight of them in
favor of the Mavericks, as they were just able to
roll on those offensive rebounds. I mean, they end up
finishing the game with sixteen offensive boards to get to
those twenty eight second chance points. Hornets had eight offensive
rebounds for sixteen second chance points. So not terrible, but
(25:31):
definitely not as many one and duns as you would
want on that side for the Mavericks, and Atlanta's a
very good rebounding team. There's six in the Association. When
it comes to rebounding, they out rebounded the Heat last
night fifty nine to forty six in favor of the Hawks.
They are just able to track down balls and they're
able to get every single rebound, it feels like, and
that's something that the Hornets are really going to have
(25:52):
to limit, especially on the defensive end of the glass.
If the Hawks are going to shoot a poor percentage again,
if they shoot twenty one twenty two percent from three
tot t they shoot under forty percent from the field
in general, you're gonna have to limit them to one
and done opportunities so you don't have those shot attempts inflated. Heck,
Atlanta last night, this is crazy now that I'm looking
at the box score. They lost one seventeen to one
(26:12):
eleven in double overtime. Miami took eighty eight shot attempts.
The Hawks took one hundred and thirteen and somehow they
still lost the ball game.
Speaker 4 (26:20):
That is quite a disparity. And I'm looking at the
box score right now, and you can't.
Speaker 2 (26:25):
Even look at the free throws because Miami is fifteen,
it's twenty one from the line and Atlanta was eleven
to fourteen. That doesn't make a big difference either.
Speaker 4 (26:32):
Yeah, and it's even the offensive rebounds doesn't even feel
like it's a big it's a big difference either.
Speaker 2 (26:36):
Seventeen offensive boards for twenty three second chance points for
Atlanta just five offensive boards from Miami resulting in two
second chance.
Speaker 4 (26:43):
Yeah, a little bit of free throw I guess, I
don't know that seems that does seem like a lot
of twenty five field goal differential.
Speaker 3 (26:49):
I don't know.
Speaker 4 (26:49):
Maybe we have to go back and look at adi.
I mean, it's probably the free throws and offensive rebounds.
We're probably just overthinking it a little bit.
Speaker 3 (26:55):
Well, and they also shot thirty nine forty percent from
the field. That doesn't help when the heat shot about
forty eight percent from the field. But I digress.
Speaker 2 (27:02):
Either way, my number to look at tonight is rebounding
for all of those numbers, but that one definitely a
little bit iye popping when you take a look at
it here tonight. But that's your game preview, that's your podcast.
As the Hornets get ready to take on the Hawks
and Night kicking off a three game homestand and before
you know it, Sam Parley. The season will be done
here in just a couple of days times, But again,
thank you as always for joining me on this episode
of the Hornets Podcast.
Speaker 4 (27:22):
Of course, thank you for having me, so we'll.
Speaker 3 (27:24):
Give you the day off.
Speaker 2 (27:25):
We'll get you well rested for Friday and Sunday against
Boston and Cleveland, respectively. But coming up on tomorrow's edition
of the Hornets Podcast, myself and a host of Hornets
post game on the flagship station sports radio WFZ wil
P logic, we'll break down this one between the Hawks
and the Hornets. Big thanks to Sam Pearley, Big thanks
to all of you for tuning in to today's episode
of the AHHC. For Sam Pearli, I'm Rob Longo saying
solong thank you so much for joining us on this
(27:46):
episode of the Hornets Podcast. We'll recap Hornets and Hawks
tomorrow right here on EHHC.
Speaker 1 (27:51):
Thank you for listening to the Hornets Podcast, brought to
you by Santa, the official i ear nosen Throatcare provider
of the Charlotte Hornets. For more coverage, visit Hornets dot com.
Welcome to the Hornets Hoodcast, presented by Charlotte I ear
Nosen Throat Associates, the official I ear Nosen Throatcare provider
of the Charlotte Hornets. Here's your host, Rob Longo.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Hi, friends, and welcome to today's edition of the Hornets
hood Cast, the official podcast of the Charlotte Hornets, brought
to you by Santa Charlotte ear Nose and Throat Associates,
the official I eir Knows and throw care.
Speaker 3 (00:23):
Provider of the Charlotte Hornets.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
Rob Longa with you after unfortunately a silver Linings edition
of the HHC. Charlotte falls at home last night to
the Dallas Mavericks one thirty to one oh four, final
home game of the season, final home game for head
coach Deve Clifford. We'll talk about that and some of
the honors that were displayed at Spectrum Center for him
last night. We'll also talk about our silver lining performances.
It's also a game day edition of the AHC and
(00:45):
Charlotte has its final back to back of the season.
They are in Atlanta tonight to take on the Hawks,
who might be a little tired, and we will explain
why here a little bit later on by helping me
out with all of these topics and segments here on
this edition of the Hornets hood Cast, one final time
in person this season, the one and only the writer
of Hornets dot Com, Sam Pereli. Sam, I know we'll
have you on for a couple of road games, but
good to see your smiley face here inside Spectrum Center,
(01:06):
across the desk from me.
Speaker 4 (01:08):
I suppose yes, starting another little streak of as mentioned
to Sam yesterday. I think, all, well, not tomorrow, it'll
be a Willy Palazku special. So he's interrupting the streak
that I was about to start, So never mind. But yeah,
we'll get you back on No. One. Squeezing in a
couple last ones here as the regular season is winding down.
Speaker 2 (01:25):
We figured we would throw one more to Willie p
just to wrap up the season before we get you
on for the final couple ones. But yeah, let's go
ahead and just break this one down. Hornets again. Fall
last night, one thirty to one oh four. Didn't play terrible,
ended up finishing the game forty four percent from the field,
about thirty one percent from beyond the yarc, sixteen to
twenty one at the free throw line. MAVs are just
a very good team and are playing really good basketball
right now. Fifty four percent from the field for Dallas,
(01:46):
thirty four percent from beyond the arc, but they also
chucked up fifty of them, and they were thirteen to
twenty from the free throw line. Biggest difference in this
one obviously Luka Doncic thirty nine points, twelve rebounds, ten assists,
his seventy seventh career triple double in the contest last
times James Harden for one of the most all time
here in NBA history. Around those constituents there, but again,
(02:07):
Luca was the one that basically was the difference. He
had a very big first quarter, twenty one, seven to
two in the first quarter alone. He finished the first
half twenty seven points, seven rebounds, five assists. Kyrie Irving
had a big game as well eighteen points, eight rebound,
nine assist. They got twenty six points from Daniel Gafford
as well. But all in all, the Mavericks played a
very good basketball game last night, and a lot of
it felt like it was a Luka Doncics, But be
(02:28):
also in that first half, a lot of second chance
points opportunities in that first half alone, Dallas had twenty
points off a ten offensive rebounds. The Hornets had just
two off a one offensive rebounds. So it seemed like
those two combinations in the first half really put this
one out of reach for the Hornet two were down
sixty nine to forty seven at halftime. They clawed back,
they made it a fourteen point deficit going into the
fourth quarter, but Dallas able to pull it away thirty
(02:50):
three to twenty one, outscoring the Hornets in that final frame.
But those were kind of the two big bullet points
are the ones that I really lean on there, Sam
about the reason why the Hornets lost the game last night.
Speaker 4 (02:59):
Yeah, it's just kind of a slow start. And when
you start slow, and I think Steve Clifford mentioned after
the game or before the game, it's that was not
the team to be starting slow against. That's a team
that is as playing as good as anybody in the
NBA right now. In the Dallas mavericks Ay talked a
little bit about the lineup switch they made back on
March seventh, putting Derek Jones Junior and Daniel Gafford into
(03:20):
the starting lineup. In Gafford, like you said, twenty six points,
tied a career high. Was also twelve of twelve from
the field, with eleven of those makes coming at the rim.
So a very good finishing game, needless to say on
his part. So he's been a good addition for them.
It felt like the start wasn't quite there, and you
know you're going up a team that is I think
Dallas was it needed a win in either a Phoenix
(03:41):
or New Orleans loss last night to come up with
a with a playoff berth. At the time of the recording,
we don't know whether those two one of those two
things happened in the New Orleans or Phoenix loss, but
they're obviously very close to securing that top six seeds,
so they were playing for something. The energy intensity wasn't
there from the start. Luca hit a lot of big
time ISO three that there's just almost nothing you could do.
(04:02):
It's they're almost indefensible, and I think it just it
kind of took a little bit of whatever little win
the Hornets had in their sales. It kind of ripped
it out, and like you said, the second chance points,
it didn't even really feel like it was a physicality thing.
I felt like a lot of tapouts, a lot of klebud.
He just was so good at kind of directing those
basically just to facto passes, and they would kick it
around the perimeter and find another open three. So they
(04:24):
just got down by too much and it just was
way too big a hole to come back in the
second half.
Speaker 2 (04:28):
It was a fairly emotional beginning of the game here,
a lot going on. Obviously, last home game for head
coach Steve Clifford here as the head coach of the
Hornets before he steps down at the end of the season.
Homecoming from PJ Washington, his first game back since being
dealt at the trade deadline, Grant Williams going up against
his former team. Unfortunately, Seth Curry was heard he couldn't
go up against some Avericks Thalas Bretons did play a
(04:49):
season in Dallas a year ago, but not as big
of a factor compared to Sunday's game against Oklahoma City,
the most recent former team for him now as of late,
but a lot of storylines going in to this one.
Before the game as well, Head coach Steve Clifford was
honored with a little pregame ceremony, giving a customized jersey
out on the court commemorating his seven seasons coach here
(05:10):
into Queen City. Between both stints and before the game,
there was a little bit of a thank you video
with some of his former players thanking him for his
guidance over the course of several seasons here in Charlotte.
Here's a little excerpt from that video and some of
the recent players and some of the modern players too,
of who Steve Clifford coached.
Speaker 5 (05:28):
Having him as well, you know, first NBA coach, I
think that's a good team.
Speaker 6 (05:31):
First of all, I want to say thank you all
the young men that you've coached, been a mentor to
on the basketball court and off the court as well.
It's been truly amazing.
Speaker 5 (05:38):
All the advice, helping me become a better player, helping
me gain confidence. You know that has all the experience,
so just love playing for.
Speaker 6 (05:45):
Cliff I think I speak for all the guys in
the NBA that you've ever coached, just saying how amazing
you are. I just really want to say thank you.
Speaker 2 (05:52):
The franchise leader and wins to.
Speaker 1 (05:57):
Hey practice tomorrow seven.
Speaker 6 (06:00):
To anybody that's ever been a Charlotte Ordens fan, I'm
sure they want to say thank you as well, favors
that you're done for the city of Charlotte, not only.
Speaker 1 (06:06):
As a coach, but as a person. Love you, man,
love you.
Speaker 7 (06:09):
Co me to you.
Speaker 6 (06:10):
I want to say thank you and good luck in
the next life.
Speaker 2 (06:13):
A couple of great hornets. And here Marvin Williams Kemba
Walker as well. Randon Millier heard in that little montage
as well. After the game, Steve Colveran was asked about
the ceremony before the game.
Speaker 3 (06:23):
Here's what he had to say.
Speaker 7 (06:25):
It was nice, really nice, and I appreciate, you know,
everybody putting, you know, organization of that, and you know,
that's something that I'll treasure going forward.
Speaker 6 (06:37):
You know.
Speaker 7 (06:38):
Obviously kem Be and Marvin I'm really close with because
I coach someone longer. And I have a really good
relationship with Brandon, and I'm looking forward to having that grow,
you know, over these next few, you know whatever years,
as long as I'm still here. So that'll be something
that I'll take and you know, when I'm by myself, right,
I'll watch it, you know, and go for there. You know.
(07:00):
I just the thing that's hard tonight, that's really of
the eight games here at home, we just didn't have
any intensity to start. And when you get down behind
a team like that that they put so much pressure
on you and either one of those guys have the ball,
because really the two middle quarters we played pretty well,
you know, a lot better, But you can't get behind
(07:20):
like that at home, you know, especially they're playing that's
a huge game for them, you know. So these next
three Boston will be different, probably, you know, because they
play Thursday and that game is meaningless for them. So
I don't know, but you know, like Sunday and tomorrow
night for Atlanta, that'll be a big game for them.
Speaker 2 (07:37):
I think that entire clip right there, Sam encapsulates Steve Clifford.
He goes from talking about how it was very nice
montage and he just goes immediately back into coach speak
and talking about how the energy needs to change for
today's game against the Hawks and all of that stuff.
I feel like that is just coach cliff to a
t where he might recognize that something was nice given
(07:57):
to him, but then it's just immediately back to the
team and back to trying to win basketball games.
Speaker 4 (08:01):
Yeah, and this is something that he spoke a little
bit about last week when he made the decision to
step down. And I think that's, like you said, it's
kind of the way he thinks is he kind of
wants to focus on the season. There will be a
time and a place, a moment when he kind of
could sit back and reflect on everything. And I think
the last thing he wants to do is when that
time comes is sit back and reflect on it and say,
(08:22):
you know what, I kind of wasn't fully invested in
those last six or seven games because I was thinking
about kind of the other stuff. Like you said, that's
exactly how he operates. It's exactly how he's always operated.
He's always thinking about the game, what went right, what
went wrong? These little plays, the level of detail, you know,
And I think he knows he owes it to himself
when he kind of takes a I think it's kind
of like all of us too, in a sense, when
(08:42):
you when you finish a season in particular, it's it
takes a few days and you take a step back
and then you're like, okay, you know it's you can
kind of look back at a little bit. But when
you're in it right now, as you know, as we are,
we're kind of and again I'm not comparing what we
do to head coaching in the NBA. But when you're
in it, you're always kind of thinking about the next game,
or thinking about last game and finishing all the work
for that one and getting ready for the next one,
(09:03):
like we're doing right now exactly. We're just finishing this
Mavericks game and getting thinking about the Hawks game coming up.
So I know he's very reflective, and I know he's
very blessed and thankful and appreciative of, you know, his
head coaching. Ten you're not only in Charlotte but in Orlando,
and he'll definitely give it the proper reflection. And he's
also very excited, as you could tell in that press
conference last week about the next step in the MBA
(09:26):
and learning and still being closely tied to the franchise.
So but yeah, you're definitely right. That was very Steve
Clifford asked to kind of blend the two feelings there.
Speaker 2 (09:37):
One more comment before we go on to our silver
lining segment here on today's edition of the Hornets iovecast.
After the game, Grant Williams talked about coach cliff and
some of the frustrations that it brought, not only hearing
that Steve Clifford is going to step down at the
end of the season, but the play that the Hornets
have put together because of the fact that Grant just
wanted to send him out on a winning note, Yeah, it.
Speaker 3 (09:58):
Was for me.
Speaker 5 (09:59):
I can only speak for us off, but I was
definitely caught off guard and kind of sad because you know,
I really enjoyed the time that I've had here and
try out so far, and I think that we have
potential for the future, and I thought cliff was gonna
be that guy that lead us to it. And you know,
sometimes you can't control things in the world, and it
sucks that you know he's having a step away, and
(10:20):
you know, it definitely was a sad moment for me,
just because I really really love Cliff as a coach
and as a man, and he does a phenomenal job
of communicating not only as a coach but also as
a person. And I think everybody that's played for him
or been around him could say that.
Speaker 2 (10:33):
Still three more opportunities, though, to send coach cliff out
on a winning note that begins tonight in Atlanta will
have her game prevy here in just a couple of moments.
But coming up next here on this episode of the
Hornet Podcast, we're gonna talk about our silver linings from
last night's game again, Hornets fall last night one thirty
to one oh four. Silver linings on the way right
after this here on a Hornetsive cast, Rob Longo in
(10:56):
lead writer of Hornets dot Com Sam Purley. On this
edition of the Age, see Hornets fall last night to
Dallas to wrap up in eight game homestand a franchise
record eight game homestand it is and they fall one
thirty to one oh four. Also the final home game
of the season for the Hornets. They will have three
games on the road to finish off the season. Time
now for our silver lining performances. Of course, if we
(11:16):
could pick one, it would probably be Luka Doncic thirty
nine points, twelve rebounds Tennis is for a triple double
last night for the Mavericks. He was by far the
best player out there on the floor for either side,
but the Hornets had a lot of nominees as well.
Myles Bridge is a team high twenty two points, Brandon
Miller had twenty one all In all, five players finished
in double figures for the Hornets. So Sam, probably with
all that said, who's your silver lining performer from last
(11:37):
night's game?
Speaker 4 (11:38):
Your top one yes on the Hornets side, I will
lightly second that Luka Doncic. He was spectacular last night.
I'll go with Miles Bridges silver lining for the Hornets
team high twenty two points, was eight to fifteen from
the field, two to four from three, hit all four
of his free throws, had five rebounds, three assists, a
steal and a block, and played thirty six minutes as well.
(11:59):
I thought he would helped him kind of keep things
afloat a little bit in that third quarter, keep them
within striking distance. I think he had thirteen points in
the third to get it. I think the Hornets were
down maybe fourteen going into the fourth after trailing by
twenty two at halftime. So I thought it was really
good and it just solid. You know, he taking good
shots and you know, attacking the basket things like that.
(12:20):
And he also on a milestone alert, moved into eighth
place on the Hornets all time scoring leader board, passing
Raymond Felton. I think Miles is now at five three
hundred and twenty points. I needed fourteen coming in, so
a little bit of history for Miles in a silver
Lining performance last night.
Speaker 2 (12:37):
Lexie Polkashevski to the post, Miles bridges against Jones, backs
his way in, goes right around him over the right
hand floater, got it.
Speaker 1 (12:44):
Plus the foul.
Speaker 2 (12:45):
Yeah, a little bit of a slow start for Miles
last night, but he finished with those twenty two points,
thirteen of his twenty two coming in that third quarter,
like you mentioned, which again I thought kept the team
afloat there, considering that the Hornets did close the third
quarter on a twelve to two run in the final
three minutes and twelve seconds to kind of get themselves
back into it. But unfortunately Dallas, like I mentioned in
the first thing, with outscoring the Hornet's thirty three to
(13:05):
twenty one there in that fourth quarter to really put
things out of reach, shooting sixty one percent from the
field in that final frame as well. But for me
my silver Lining performance, I think I took him the
other day as well. I might as well just stay
with this hot hand. It's gonna be Trey mann.
Speaker 4 (13:19):
Man the steal, He'll rise, delay and.
Speaker 1 (13:21):
Yes, Canada foul.
Speaker 5 (13:23):
He picks Kyrie's pocket and then draws the frustration foul
on the opposite end and has himself a three point
play opportunity.
Speaker 2 (13:31):
I thought Trey played a complete game. I know he's
been kind of I don't want to say cornered into
that two guard spot here as of late, but he's
been playing more of the two with Vasa Michiz playing
the main point guard duties. But training a game last
night eleven points, five rebound, six assists off five to
thirteen shooting three point shot wasn't there just ove two
from beyond the arc? But all in all, I really
like what Trey Mann did out there. I know he
(13:52):
had a couple of steels sprinkled in defensively as well,
But again, I think he's one of those guys that's
just been so consistent here for the Hornets ever since
he's been dealt from Oklahoma City. I know he had
a couple of rough patches there as of late in
terms of games where he might have had a couple
of too many turnovers and that sort of thing. But
I thought he played a pretty solid game in the
contest last night. A couple of other cap tips out there,
(14:13):
Brandon Miller twenty one points off of four of eight
from beyond the Ark also had six rebounds.
Speaker 3 (14:18):
And for assists.
Speaker 2 (14:18):
Grant Williams had twelve points as well, five to twelve,
shooting just one for five beyond the York, but he
also had three rebounds and for assists. Obas Berton's got
hot off the bench, especially in the second quarter, ten
of his thirteen coming in that second frame. He had
a couple of way deep three pointers. He was three
to seven from beyond the York. He also had four
rebounds as well in the contest last night, so a
couple of cap tips sprinkled out there. One other person
(14:41):
to mention as well, PJ Washington in his homecoming, a
little bit of a rough day there for the MAVs.
He finished with just one point. He was one for
two from the free throw line, oh for seven from
the field, oh for six beyond york. Did have seven
rebounds and three assists. But again, don't have to do
a whole lot when you have a guy like Luka
Dauntic on the other side that goes for thirty nine,
twelve and ten in the game. Hornets fall last night
(15:01):
one thirty to one oh four. It's also a game
day though, quick turnaround here for the Hornets final back
the back of the season. They are in Atlanta taken
on the Hawks tonight. We will have her game previewfore
you right after this here on a Hornet Time Cast.
Speaker 3 (15:16):
It's a game day edition of the AJHC.
Speaker 2 (15:18):
Rob Longo and the lead writer of Hornets dot Com,
Sam Burley with you on this game day segment of
the Hornet Time Cast. Hornet's taken on the Atlanta Hawks tonight.
As we get set for this one, we will have
our players to watch in our stat to watch a
little bit of a primer heading into this one. Though
Atlanta might be on some tired legs here this evening.
I know they get to sleep in their own beds tonight,
but they had to play a double overtime game last
(15:39):
night against the Miami Heat and they eventually lost one
seventeen to one eleven. Tyler Hero had a game high
thirty three points for the Heat, but on the other side,
a lot of stars for the Hawks, who are still
without Trey Young going into the home stretch of the season.
De Jontay Murray finished with twenty nine points, thirteen rebounds
thirteen assists for a triple double. He played forty nine
(16:00):
minutes in the game last night. Bogey Bogdanovic played forty
five minutes with just eleven points. DeAndre Unhurt played forty
seven minutes. He had twenty three points on eleven rebounds
in the game last night as well, so a lot
of tired legs potentially out there for the Hawks again.
Last time the Hornets were in Atlanta did not go well,
a one to thirty two to ninety one loss in Atlanta.
(16:21):
Miles Bridges had a team high twenty seven points in
that one. De Jontay Murray game high twenty eight for
the Hawks. He also had seven rebounds and twelve assists.
Atlanta outscored Charlotte thirty three to seventeen in the final frame.
The Hawks also got a lot of help off the
bench in now one A had twenty from Garrison Matthews.
Bruno Fernando had a career high twenty five points coming
off the bench as well. Those two did not touch
those numbers at all last night. Fernando had twelve points
(16:44):
in the game, Garrison Matthews had eleven. So we'll see
what is in store for the Hornets to night. Who again,
maybe a little bit of a silver lining because the
game was out of reach later in the contest. Hornet's
got a lot of those starters out there with about
four minutes left in the contest to get some rest
there before the second night of back to back. So
with that sprinkling in with the fact that Atlanta played
a double overtime game last night, it'll be interesting to
(17:06):
see what happens here this evening in Atlanta. But Sam Parla,
you know how all these game previews work. We need
a Hornet to watch, a Hawk to watch, and a
stat to watch. Where would you like to begin.
Speaker 4 (17:14):
Yes, And one more quick thing on that Atlanta double overtime.
I was watching that game last night. I was just
finishing up writing and I saw it going to overtime
and then saw it, Hey, double overtime, keep it going,
like just you know where those legs a six overtimes,
keep it keep them going. And I would test it
coming out of a double overtime game and not winning
that one only makes it up.
Speaker 3 (17:33):
Yeah, that's gonna hurt a little bit too.
Speaker 4 (17:35):
And this again will be a game that Atlanta needs.
As of right now, they are one game back of
Chicago in the Eastern Conference standings. They're going to be
in the nine to ten playing game. In all likelihood,
it's just a matter of actually definitely will be. It's
just a matter of whether Chicago or Atlanta is going
to host that one. So Atlanta will definitely be need
to win this one or wants to win this one
for sure, because that could be the difference between advancing
(17:57):
to that seven eight game or not. So my hornet
to watch is going to be a Vacilier meat chitch.
A little bit of a tough one last night for Vasilier.
Had just six points, three to ten from the field,
missed all three threes, didn't get to the line, only
had two rebounds and four assists. Was a really good
home stand overall for him. He in the six games
that he played prior to this Mavericks one, he was
(18:17):
averaging a double double twelve and a half points, ten
point two assists, shot forty one percent, and also was
averaging one point two steals. So just had a little
bit of an off night. I expecting me to kind
of get back where he was scoring a double figure
seven eight nine assists. Refacing his Serbian national teammate bogged
Don Boganovich, so maybe that will give him a little
bit of extra motivation as well as Igor Koshkov, who
(18:38):
was also a Serbian assistant coach for the Hawks as well.
So maybe that'll kind of get the competitive fire going
for Vasa tonight.
Speaker 3 (18:45):
I mean, that's a big game for Poku as well,
another Serbian that's as well.
Speaker 4 (18:48):
Yeah, exactly, that could be Uh he can add him
there as my guy to watch, So yeah, it.
Speaker 2 (18:52):
Could be a lot going on there in the game
tonight here Serbian wise apparently. But for me, I understand
the dynamic of picking guy that might have had bad
games and are looking for bounce backs. I do that
a lot too when I'm looking at players to watch.
But one of the guys that I'm really going to
key in on tonight's gonna be Grant Williams. I know,
he had the twelve points and the four assists and
three rebounds, and he was five to twelve from the
(19:13):
field in last night's game, just one to five beyond
the arc. But it feels like anytime that the Hornets
play the Hawks and they elect to go small, it
works out really really well in Charlotte's favor. It feels
like Clint Coppella has a hard time when the floor
is stretched against him, and I know that it doesn't
look like that all the time, especially if you go
back to that game last night against Miami where bam
Adebayo's out there and he's one of those more traditional centers.
(19:37):
He can step out and hit a three. I mean, heck,
he was two for two beyond the arc last night.
But Clint Coppella, I always feel like, has some trouble
guarding those smaller guys. He's more of your traditional rim protector.
So if Grant Williams is able to step out, and
if he's able to do better than one for five
from three and force players to come out and guard
him and force Clint Capella out of the paint, I
think that's going to open up a lot offensively here
for the Hornets tonight. So I think that's why Grant
(19:58):
Williams might be the key in this one this evening
for the Hornets. But that said, you have to go
with a hawk to watch and a stat to watch.
Where would you like go next?
Speaker 4 (20:06):
I will go with a hawk to watch. My hawk
to watch is going to be de Jonte Murray. Last
time the Hornets saw the Hawks a few weeks ago,
he had twenty eight points ten to fourteen, shooting seven
of nine threes, tied a season high for threes, also
had seven rebounds, twelve assists, four steals, and he only
played thirty one minutes that game too. I think they
probably pulled him at the start of the fourth quarter
because it started to get out of hand. But felt
(20:27):
like he just went on a run in that game
where he was hitting everything left and right, and I
really got into a groove. And since that game, or
in counting that game, Atlanta has gone six and four
and he's averaging twenty three point six points but taking
twenty one shots of games, so he hasn't been super efficient,
you know, shooting about forty four percent from the field.
I want to say forty three thirty seven percent from three.
(20:50):
Another kind of strange thing about him, does not get
to the line very often in this ten game stretch,
averaging two point two free throws, but also six point
two rebounds, nine point nine assists, and one point eight steals.
This is all without Trey Young as well. So has
had some games where he is can't miss and had
a lot of games where he is just taking a
whole lot of shots and not really getting to the
line not being super efficient, So hopefully the Hornets can
(21:13):
kind of force him a little bit into the ladder
and not get him going like they saw a few
weeks ago, because a repeat of that would certainly not
be good.
Speaker 2 (21:20):
And over those last ten games, I think a lot
of that has been inflated a little bit as well,
considering he had forty four points against Boston back at
the end of March, and in that game you talk
about the efficiency, he took forty four shots. In that contest,
he was eighteen to forty four from the field, six
to nineteen from beyond the arc, and again just two
for two at the free throw line. So it's interesting
to see how many shot attempts he's really going to
(21:42):
put up. I'll be honest, he was going to be
my hawk to watch if you didn't take him. So
with that said, I got to kind of pivot in
a little bit of a different direction, and for me,
I think to kind of go along with the center
position or the battle in the paint more or less.
I'm gonna look at Bruno Nando and I know that
it might be a little odd. We don't talk about
(22:03):
Bruno per se. Maybe on his podcast you a Disney
fan there, Sam and Conto reference get it.
Speaker 4 (22:08):
Nope, I have seen the movie and I feel like
you had this teed up the entire day.
Speaker 3 (22:13):
Okay, that's fair.
Speaker 2 (22:13):
I didn't have a teed up the entire day, but
it's something that Sam and I joked about him between
breaks the last Hawks game. But again, Fernando had a
really big game that last contest. He only had twelve
points against the Heat last night, four or five shooting
from the field, so he was efficient. But the thing
about him is he is a more traditional center. And
right now, the way, if you go back to the
last time that these two teams played, it was a
(22:37):
flip in the starting lineup. It was Grant Williams coming
off the bench and it was Nick Richards getting the start.
And Nick Richards in that game was a minus seventeen
and the plus minus Grant Williams was a minus twenty
nine because most of the time, because of the way
the rotations worked out, it was Williams against Fernando. So
I think the fact that if you're able to switch
it a little bit and hornets are able to go small,
because like I talked about, Cli Capella has a little
(22:58):
bit more difficulty guarding small ball fives. That gives Grant
Williams an advantage. I feel like that plays into the
hand a little bit of Nick Richards as well, kind
of going strength for strength.
Speaker 3 (23:07):
In a sense in that matchup.
Speaker 2 (23:08):
So that's why I'm taking Fernando in this game tonight
in terms of my Hawks player to watch. So that
leaves us with just a statistic to watch. What's the
number you're keeping an eye on tonight.
Speaker 4 (23:18):
And real quick on the Bruno the Bruno thing and
Yaka Konglus is continuing to deal with a very prolonged
toe injury. He's only played two games since the All
Star Break. He was not in that March twenty third game. Yeah,
they don't have a lot of size on that team
right now, exactly. Yeah, and he's not a super big
center to begin with, so they could obviously turn to
Fernando again, and especially with how while he played against
(23:38):
the Hornets last time. But my stat to watch night
is going to be three point shooting. And I originally
made this note before the Hawks shot ten of forty
six against the Heat for twenty one point seven percent
in that double overtime loss. But from opening night to
March twenty first, which was the game before they faced
the Hornets. In the game we've been referencing, they were
eighteenth in the NBA and three point percentage. They are
(24:00):
eleventh in the NBA in the ten games since. They
were actually up to fifth in the nine games and
then dropped to eleventh after shooting ten to forty six
against the Heat last night. But in that stretch they've
had five players Garrison Matthews, who I think is leading
the league in three point percentage right now, where is
very close, vit Kreischi, Jalen Johnson, Jantie Murray, and Bogdan Bogdanovic,
all shooting at least thirty six percent on three attempts
(24:21):
per game. I think the Hornets have actually done really
well the three point line. They've been shooting pretty well.
I like the five out offense with Grant Williams. The
game against the Mavericks, they are only twenty of thirty
two for thirty one thirty one percent, so that was
kind of obviously not as good as they had been shooting.
But I think three point shooting opened the floor a
little bit, knock down some shots. I think you move
Williams around a little bit more and kind of get
(24:43):
the open looks going. I think i Vasili has a
little bit of a better game too, that could kind
of generate some facilitating and some opening opportunities. So three
point shooting. Hopefully the Hornets shoot much better than they
did last night, and hopefully the Hawks shoot what they
shot last night, or preferably even worse than the ten
of forty six they had against Miami.
Speaker 2 (25:02):
Well, if that is the case, then they're gonna have
to really focus in on my stat to watch, and
that's gonna be the rebounding because the Hornets just got absolutely.
Speaker 3 (25:09):
Decimated last night by the Mavericks.
Speaker 2 (25:11):
They got out rebounded fifty five to thirty nine in
the game second chance points twenty eight of them in
favor of the Mavericks, as they were just able to
roll on those offensive rebounds. I mean, they end up
finishing the game with sixteen offensive boards to get to
those twenty eight second chance points. Hornets had eight offensive
rebounds for sixteen second chance points. So not terrible, but
(25:31):
definitely not as many one and duns as you would
want on that side for the Mavericks, and Atlanta's a
very good rebounding team. There's six in the Association. When
it comes to rebounding, they out rebounded the Heat last
night fifty nine to forty six in favor of the Hawks.
They are just able to track down balls and they're
able to get every single rebound, it feels like, and
that's something that the Hornets are really going to have
(25:52):
to limit, especially on the defensive end of the glass.
If the Hawks are going to shoot a poor percentage again,
if they shoot twenty one twenty two percent from three
tot t they shoot under forty percent from the field
in general, you're gonna have to limit them to one
and done opportunities so you don't have those shot attempts inflated. Heck,
Atlanta last night, this is crazy now that I'm looking
at the box score. They lost one seventeen to one
(26:12):
eleven in double overtime. Miami took eighty eight shot attempts.
The Hawks took one hundred and thirteen and somehow they
still lost the ball game.
Speaker 4 (26:20):
That is quite a disparity. And I'm looking at the
box score right now, and you can't.
Speaker 2 (26:25):
Even look at the free throws because Miami is fifteen,
it's twenty one from the line and Atlanta was eleven
to fourteen. That doesn't make a big difference either.
Speaker 4 (26:32):
Yeah, and it's even the offensive rebounds doesn't even feel
like it's a big it's a big difference either.
Speaker 2 (26:36):
Seventeen offensive boards for twenty three second chance points for
Atlanta just five offensive boards from Miami resulting in two
second chance.
Speaker 4 (26:43):
Yeah, a little bit of free throw I guess, I
don't know that seems that does seem like a lot
of twenty five field goal differential.
Speaker 3 (26:49):
I don't know.
Speaker 4 (26:49):
Maybe we have to go back and look at adi.
I mean, it's probably the free throws and offensive rebounds.
We're probably just overthinking it a little bit.
Speaker 3 (26:55):
Well, and they also shot thirty nine forty percent from
the field. That doesn't help when the heat shot about
forty eight percent from the field. But I digress.
Speaker 2 (27:02):
Either way, my number to look at tonight is rebounding
for all of those numbers, but that one definitely a
little bit iye popping when you take a look at
it here tonight. But that's your game preview, that's your podcast.
As the Hornets get ready to take on the Hawks
and Night kicking off a three game homestand and before
you know it, Sam Parley. The season will be done
here in just a couple of days times, But again,
thank you as always for joining me on this episode
of the Hornets Podcast.
Speaker 4 (27:22):
Of course, thank you for having me, so we'll.
Speaker 3 (27:24):
Give you the day off.
Speaker 2 (27:25):
We'll get you well rested for Friday and Sunday against
Boston and Cleveland, respectively. But coming up on tomorrow's edition
of the Hornets Podcast, myself and a host of Hornets
post game on the flagship station sports radio WFZ wil
P logic, we'll break down this one between the Hawks
and the Hornets. Big thanks to Sam Pearley, Big thanks
to all of you for tuning in to today's episode
of the AHHC. For Sam Pearli, I'm Rob Longo saying
solong thank you so much for joining us on this
(27:46):
episode of the Hornets Podcast. We'll recap Hornets and Hawks
tomorrow right here on EHHC.
Speaker 1 (27:51):
Thank you for listening to the Hornets Podcast, brought to
you by Santa, the official i ear nosen Throatcare provider
of the Charlotte Hornets. For more coverage, visit Hornets dot com.
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