April 7, 2025 • 20 mins
The Hornets continued their final homestand of the season, but dropped a third-consecutive game with a 131-117 defeat to the hands of Chicago. Sam Farber and Rob Longo break down the game and select their silver-lining performances, and also highlight a few of the members of the 2025 Basketball Hall of Fame Class and their ties to the Queen City.
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
Welcome to the Hornets Ivecast, 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 privileged DEBI with us here once
again on the Hornets I've cast brought to you by
Santa Charlotte I ear Nose and Throat Associates, the official
I ear Nosen Throwcare provider of the Charlotte Hornets.
Speaker 3 (00:32):
Hornets fall to the Chicago Bulls.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
The other day, one thirty one to one seventeen, making
this a Silver Linings edition of the AHHC. Hornets are
now nineteen and fifty nine on the season. After the
fourteen point loss to the Bulls, we'll break down the game,
select our Silver Linings performers, and also talk about one
of the big news pieces of the last couple of
days now, and that is the announcement of the twenty
(00:54):
twenty five Basketball Hall of Fame Class couple of significant
pieces with Tye to Charlotte, and we'll pick our favorites
of the class. They're all Hall of famers, but we'll
pick a couple of them for you here to highlight
on this episode of the HHC. Helping me on all
these topics. He's my producer on the Hornet Radio Network
as well as the producer of this fine podcast. He
made it past his birthday, Rob Longo, here with us
(01:17):
once again, Rob, Happy birthday once more to you. Unfortunately,
Charlotte could not turn in a win for your birthday
against the Chicago Bulls, but hopefully it was a wonderful celebration.
Speaker 4 (01:27):
Nonetheless, thank you, Yeah, I was. It was good to
see everybody. And weird because, oddly enough, forever how long
we've had this job for, we have never played on
my birthday before this, which is kind of an oddity
because I feel like we always play on your birthday
because you're at the end of October. I feel like
we're always in here. The home opener or opening night
is on your birthday. So got a little unlucky this year,
(01:47):
I guess in that sense, for having to work on
my birthday. But you know where else would I rather be?
Speaker 3 (01:51):
That's right. I mean, on the oneing, I feel the
same way.
Speaker 2 (01:53):
There's nothing I would rather do with my life than
have this as my profession. But you know, I missed
the kids, but we got to celebrate the greatness that
is life in the NBA for your birthday. But not
unfortunately a win for the Hornets they fall one thirty
one to one seventeen.
Speaker 3 (02:09):
Really the crux of basketball.
Speaker 2 (02:10):
We can look at all of these stats and analytics
and focus on size and speed.
Speaker 3 (02:15):
And everything comes together.
Speaker 2 (02:17):
But the one skill that is tantam out in basketball
that just seems more than any other to determine wins
and losses is how efficiently can you put the ball
in the basket? And that was what the difference was
the other day. The Hornets shot the ball pretty well,
They got to the line at a reasonable clip and
made a good percentage of their free throws. The problem
(02:39):
was they didn't shoot the three as well, and they
didn't shoot from the floor as well as Chicago. Charlotte
eight of thirty from beyond the arc twenty six percent,
forty eight percent from the floor. That's a good number
for Charlotte, but the three point percentage left a little
bit to be desired. Chicago, on the other hand, fifty
three percent from the floor sixteen to thirty six, forty
four percent from beyond the arc, led by Carolina native
(03:01):
Kobe White, who finished with a game high thirty seven points.
So Charlotte, it comes down to shot making rob and
the Hornets just didn't do enough of it. Chicago's playing well,
They're driving to the finish line. They've got their site
set on a postseason appearance right now. They are in
a tight race between seventh and tenth. Depending on how
this next week goes. Any one of the teams in
(03:21):
that fourteen mix could finish in any of the positions,
including Chicago as sending to number seven potentially. So they're
playing with the right kind of energy and mindset, and
they've now picked up three straight wins. They're fighting to
the finish line, and the Hornets gave him a good punch,
but the Bulls able to punch back.
Speaker 4 (03:37):
And again it all goes back to availability, I feel like,
because if you look at who was available for Chicago
was basically everybody except for Lonzo Ball. Lonzo Ball was
not available for that one on Sunday afternoon, but all
of the big gun showed up. Kobe White game high
thirty seven points, Josh Giddy twenty three, ten and eight,
Nikole Vucevic had sixteen, eleven and four, Kevin Herder at
thirteen points in a starting role, Mattus Buzzella's had ten points.
(03:58):
I mean, they had six guys in double figures. That
included Patrick Williams with fifteen off the bench, so their
guys were available.
Speaker 3 (04:04):
Hornets.
Speaker 4 (04:04):
Unfortunately, we're not, and that's kind of been the issue
all season here for Charlotte. And just one bad quarter
for the Hornets. Got outscored forty six to twenty seven
in that second frame. Down by twenty at halftime. That
was the largest deficit of the game for Charlotte. Hornets
ended up outscoring the Bulls in the second half alone
by itally of what sixty two to fifty six. They
ended up winning the second half plus six. So again,
(04:24):
just one bad quarter, it felt like, was the issue
for the Hornets in that second frame where Chicago got really,
really hot. In that second quarter, the Bulls made two
thirds of their shots eight to thirteen from three, six
to nine at the free throw line, which was an
issue for the Bulls. They ended up shooting below eighty
percent at the stripe. On the game yesterday Charlotte in
that second quarter forty seven percent from the field. That
looks great, but just only one of eight from beyond
(04:46):
the yark in eight to ten at the free throw line.
So again, one bad quarter was the issue for the Hornets,
and that was basically the ballgame right there.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
Game result is the game result, and you know, we're
at this stage of the season where the cakes already baked.
We know the Hornets are not going to make the postseason.
So there's the game within the game. Things that we're
looking for on a nightly basis to see the development
of the team, and one thing that we're really keying
in on is the performance of the rookie class and
they had a very good game overall.
Speaker 3 (05:12):
I would say the other day.
Speaker 2 (05:14):
Against Chicago Tjan Salon not the most efficient, didn't make
it three, didn't make a free throw, but six points,
six rebounds, attacking the glass, three assists, only one turnover
in twenty five plus minutes out there. He has really
shown a lot of growth over the course of the season.
Speaker 3 (05:29):
And then kJ Simpson had a career game.
Speaker 2 (05:32):
We'll get into him in a moment. But Yusuf Nurkic,
who had one of the best games for the team yesterday.
Not the team high that went to Mark Williams with
twenty two points and nine rebounds, but not far behind
was Nurkic off the bench with eighteen points. He had
this to say about the development the growth he has
seen from Tjan Salon since Nurkic joined the squad.
Speaker 5 (05:50):
Can Tijon at least when I got here doing good,
you know, probably early in here a little more, you know,
trying to figure out what he needed to do into
Gunna Flora. But for me something it was just training,
the culture, training friends, and everywhere you go it's the
first time, so it was kind of unique story for
me and probably for him too, Like every city, every
(06:12):
experience and playing and not playing. I think everything as
a whole is a good experience. And as a rookie,
all you have to do not trying to complicate your
life and be solid. And I think when I got
here kind of talked to him about making his life
easier on the floor, and I think so far you're
(06:32):
doing good. You know, he have some tweak ankles and stuff,
and that's part of the process. And you know, I
really believe he's super talented, but you know the game's
going to slow down for him anymore when he have
you know, experienced players around and you know, athletic and
shoot and every aspect of the summer is you're going
to work on and get better.
Speaker 2 (06:53):
There you have a use Of Nurkic, someone who knows
from experience what it's like to break in to the
NBA as a teenager coming from Europe.
Speaker 3 (07:00):
He did that over a decade ago.
Speaker 2 (07:02):
Now helping and watching as Usef Nurkic does the same
here and now Hornets fall to the Chicago Bulls one
thirty one to one seventeen. The final score will select
Silver Linings players. Might Nurkic make an appearance, We'll find
out next Here on the Hornets five Cast, Sam Farbar,
Rob Longo here with you on the AHHC The Hornets
(07:23):
if cast, brought to you by Santa all Right, Rob
Hornets fell yesterday one thirty one, one seventeen to the
Chicago Bulls. Plenty of players to choose from, though from
a Silver Linings perspective, you had a guy Josha Kogi
get back into the starting lineup.
Speaker 3 (07:36):
But even though he didn't make a field goal.
Speaker 2 (07:37):
He had the best plus minus of anyone on the
floor for Charlotte throughout the game in a contest where
the Hornets lost by fourteen. They dominated the minutes where
a kogi was on the floor. And then you've got
double digit performances from Mark Williams, from Seth Curry, kJ Simpson,
use Off Nurkic off the bench, any one of them
you like as your silver lining selection.
Speaker 4 (07:56):
Yeah, you touched on there towards the end a little bit.
I'm gonna take Mark Williams as my silver lining selection
from yesterday's game.
Speaker 2 (08:01):
Timpson inside, Mark Williams, pushed inside, laying yes kind of in.
Speaker 3 (08:06):
A foul and one opportunity for Mark Williams.
Speaker 4 (08:11):
Mark ended up being the guy that got the team
high yesterday twenty two points. Seven of eleven from the
field saw him take a three point attempt was halfway
down rimmed out unfortunately, so he's still searching for one
on the season, zero for one from beyond the york
eight to nine at the free throw line, a rebound
shy of a double double. I thought he played a
pretty solid game, especially in the fourth quarter as well.
Eight of his twenty two coming in that final frame.
(08:32):
He went three for four in a quarter as well,
and he also had four rebounds on the defensive side
of the floor. So I thought that he had a
strong close to the game when things were you know,
the Hornets were just trying to get back into it
a little bit there for lack of a better term,
because they were down fourteen going into the final frame,
so trying to keep things interesting. And he was playing
almost all the way until the final horn And something
(08:54):
that I'm appreciative of Mark here over the last couple
of games is being on the injury report with some backspasm,
but he's still battling out there. Started today as questionable,
I believe, or probably he wasn't fully expected to play
in this game one way or the other, ended up
going out there, He ended up playing, He ended up starting,
and I thought he played a pretty solid game. So
even though you look at the record and as you say,
(09:14):
the cake is already baked, Mark Williams is still out
there performing at a high level and wanting to get better.
And this is a great example of that. With the
team high twenty two yesterday.
Speaker 2 (09:22):
Yeah, and look a lot of the numbers came in
the fourth quarter for Mark Williams, he had when he
counted up your ten of his twenty two came in
the final frame. And I've heard the phrase used before
empty calories scoring in a point in the contest, where
to go back to the term, the cake's already bait.
You know what's going to happen in terms of end result.
I don't really buy into that in terms of individual stats,
(09:44):
because while there is certainly a difference between the tip
off of a game or the close of a contest
that's really tight and the close of a game that's
basically decided because it's ten to fifteen to twenty points
worth of margin, it's not easy to do this stuff
in the NBA. So to be able to make it
look easy, even if it's in the stretch of the
game where some people have taken their foot off the gas,
just to see Mark Williams go out there and dominate
(10:05):
for a quarter the way he did, that's a positive.
He's still a very young and somewhat raw player. He's
just played in a handful over one hundred career games.
He's only twenty three. He's got a lot of basketball
in front of him, and so any and every experience
where you can see success see things to learn from
is a positive one.
Speaker 3 (10:24):
So I like it.
Speaker 2 (10:25):
I do think that there are some people that I
got to do some cap tips too, because I was
not expecting you to take Mark Williams. But kJ Simpson
great game for him as the starting point guard. Career
high eighteen points, career high seven made field goals, career
high three made threes on six attempts, by the way,
so it's shooting a good percentage. This is a guy
who is at a bit of an advantage over some
(10:45):
rookies because he's twenty two years old. He led a
team in Colorado in his college years that had multiple
NBA level players. Still the college game versus the NBA game,
but he's playing with that kind of talent pool, knows
how to distribute, knows how to put numbers on the board.
He had a really really strong game. So hats off
to kJ for a great day. But I had already
made my silver lining selection, and that's gonna be use
(11:07):
of Nurkic. Five on the shot, Flock salon to Nurkic,
Gotta let it fly.
Speaker 3 (11:11):
Three on the way. It's good.
Speaker 2 (11:13):
Rip the net cord USI of Nurkice thrilling another lows
three point shot. Nurkic finished with eighteen points, eight of
eleven shooting from the floor, two for four from beyond
the arc. Here's what his head coach, Charles Lee had
to say after the game.
Speaker 6 (11:26):
First, I'll start with his veteran leadership. I think that
he has helped us a ton just how we approach
the game, how we're thinking about the game. He's like
sees the next play before it even happens, or the
defensive shifts and coverages. He has such a great feel
for the game. He almost becomes like another point guard
on the floor, and so his ability to communicate what
(11:47):
he sees too is really good and really high level.
And then I think just from a playing standpoint, he
gives us another presence to be able to get a
piece of the paint.
Speaker 1 (11:54):
You know.
Speaker 6 (11:55):
I love being able to drive and kick and get
the defense to kind of collapse. We get some open
catch and shoot threes, and we're gonna keep taking the
best on contesta shot we can. But it is nice
to every now and then be able to dump it
down to him, be able to take advantage of a
mismatch and now that he's also just a great playmaker,
like if the if the game tells him the pass,
he'll kick out for one of those open threes too.
So it's nice just having that presence there.
Speaker 2 (12:16):
Nurkis brings so much to the table here for the team,
and I've heard it ask several times in several different ways, what.
Speaker 3 (12:22):
Is his future?
Speaker 2 (12:23):
I mean, Nurkic is a very good NBA center on
any roster right now, seemingly at least from my perspective,
And he just represents so much depth here at a
spot where the Hornets seemingly have had so little or
at least not enough to cover when there's been an
injury or two at that spot in years past. So
hopefully things bode well for his and the hornets aligned
(12:43):
future here for Charlotte moving forward, one thirty one, one seventeen,
the final score against the Chicago Bulls. Only one home
game left on the schedule. It is tomorrow, Charlotte hosting
the Memphis Grizzlies seven pm tip time at Spectrum Center.
Tickets are available at Hornets dot com.
Speaker 3 (12:58):
When we return.
Speaker 2 (12:59):
A Hall of Fame class was announced the twenty twenty
five Naysmith Basketball Hall of Fame class has been announced.
A couple of people with Hornets ties a part of it.
We'll discuss it next here on the Hornets Sidecast. Sam Farbar,
Rob Longo here with you on the HHC The Hornets
Side Cast, brought to you by Santa Rob. The twenty
(13:20):
twenty five Naysmith Basketball Hall of Fame class has been announced.
Speaker 3 (13:26):
It's now about.
Speaker 2 (13:26):
Forty eight hours old. The announcement here. First up, the
Redeemed team is a part of it. The two thousand
and eight US Olympic men's basketball team will go as
a collective into the Hall of Fame.
Speaker 3 (13:38):
Individuals.
Speaker 2 (13:38):
You've got Carmelo Anthony, a ten time NBA All Star,
going in as a player. Referee Danny Crawford will go in.
He had a thirty two year career ending in twenty
seventeen as an official, over two thousand career games, three
hundred playoff games, thirty finals games as judge, jury and
found distributor in the association. Coach Billy Donovan going in,
(14:01):
player Dwight Howard going in, and from the women's side,
Sue Byrd, Sylvia Fouls and Maya Moore have all been
selected for the Nasmith Basketball Hall of Fame. Lastly, a
contributor going in Mickey Aronson, the longtime owner of the
Miami Heat. So lots to choose from here. Typically, we
(14:22):
don't want to dive too deep on everyone, even though
they're all deserving of their accolades, and we always look
forward to the festivities there for the Hall of Fame.
But we're going to each take a shot at one person, player, team, executive,
whatever it is, and a little bit of the detail
on why you pick them, and hopefully it's aligned with Charlotte.
So who from the class of twenty twenty five. Hopefully
(14:44):
someone tied to Charlotte stands out to you.
Speaker 4 (14:46):
Well, if you're going to push me in that direction
that they're tied to Charlotte, I guess I have to
go with Dway Howard, right. I mean, he played here
for a season twenty seventeen twenty eighteen, had a really
good year. I mean he played an eighty one game,
started eighty one games, was playing thirty and a half
minutes per contest. He was still averaging sixteen points and
twelve and a half rebounds, had an assist, had a
block and a half on average as well. He was
still playing at a very high level. I know that.
Speaker 3 (15:08):
You know.
Speaker 4 (15:08):
The following year he goes to Washington and only plays
a couple of games there, then gets moved to the
Lakers as well. Over the next couple of seasons and
seventy six ers, So it was towards the back end
of his career that he was here in Charlotte, but
he was still having a really, really, really solid season
and definitely helped the Hornets along the way as well.
So I think that, you know, because you had to
push me in the direction of the Charlotte Ties. I
(15:30):
don't know why you wanted to limit me.
Speaker 3 (15:32):
To there's a Hornets podcast, sure.
Speaker 4 (15:34):
But we're talking about the NBA here. So but if
you're gonna push me a direction, I gotta go with
White Howard.
Speaker 3 (15:38):
I think that's the only selection that you could go,
not the only one.
Speaker 4 (15:42):
I I was just say, who are you gonna take?
Speaker 2 (15:43):
Then I'll take it a moment for some flowers here
for Dwight Howard, who if you're looking at.
Speaker 3 (15:50):
It and being honest, maybe the last.
Speaker 2 (15:52):
Great year of his NBA career came in the Queens City.
He played in eighty one games, sixteen points, six points
per game, which was the best average he'd had since
his last All Star season with Houston. The twenty thirteen
fourteen campaign was the last time in his career that
he averaged a double double twelve and a half rebounds
(16:13):
per game, which, by the way, the twelve and a
half boards more than what he averaged when he led
the league in rebounding as a member of the Lakers
back in twenty thirteen. You're right, he became, you know,
kind of a well traveled journeyman guy who could contribute
off the bench, but when he was in his prime,
he was Superman. Literally, he put on the cape and
everything and did the Slam Dunk Contest. He represents a generation,
(16:35):
I would say, of NBA players that valued the All
Star Game and the festivities around it differently, not just
in terms of how they played the All Star Games,
and some of this as being a big man, you
approach it maybe a little bit differently, but also just
flat out being in the Slam Dunk Contest. He did
it in two thousand and seven, two thousand and eight,
(16:55):
when he won it was back in two thousand and nine,
came back and did it again in twenty twelve. So
as an elder statesman, he still wasn't done. He came
on back and participated in the Dunk Contest that was
the year he was with the Lakers, and won a championship.
So in some respects, he doesn't get as much respect
as he deserves, having been a former number one overall
(17:17):
pick and been an exemplary player, a multiple time Defensive
Player of the Year, top five in the MVP vote
several times, All NBA First Team a handful of times
he did so much.
Speaker 3 (17:29):
But even so, I think.
Speaker 2 (17:31):
Will appreciate him and his greatness more as the years
go on, and I certainly haven't will certainly always remember
the year he had for Charlotte, helping out this franchise.
But you took Superman. I thought he was the obvious one.
I dug a little deeper. I'm gonna go with referee
Danny Crawford. I dug deep into the numbers here, Rob.
As you would expect, Crawford didn't have the best record
(17:53):
for Charlotte.
Speaker 3 (17:54):
I should say Charlotte didn't have the best record.
Speaker 2 (17:55):
They were under five hundred with him, and he refereed
fewer Hornets games than most NBA teams. But part of
that was because Charlotte took a year or two off
there as the franchise moved to New Orleans and then
got back an expansion franchise.
Speaker 3 (18:09):
But nevertheless, the last time.
Speaker 2 (18:11):
We saw Danny Crawford officiating a Charlotte playoff game, it
was a Charlotte win twenty sixteen Hornets versus Seat opening
round game four Hornets win eighty nine eighty five and
Crawford there on the crew.
Speaker 3 (18:25):
So I want to give some flowers to one of
the great officials. There's very little.
Speaker 2 (18:30):
Respect, it seems, in the game given for the best
of the game, but there are such great characters. They
add so much, and I think compared to all the
other sports, there is something about the way officials both
influence in a positive way of the game, but don't
take away from the greatness of the game. You know,
you find it hard to remember a game in the
(18:51):
postseason that really changes based off errant calls from the
officials that they're truly the best in the world of
what they do. There's always something you can look at,
but by and large, the players determine the outcomes and
the officials just do it a great job in influencing
the game in a positive way. Danny Crawford did it
for decades, a worthy recipient of Hall of Fame honors,
(19:12):
and we look forward to him and all the other
honorees making their way into the Hall of Fame in
the class of twenty twenty five.
Speaker 3 (19:18):
All right, rob b Longo, that does it.
Speaker 2 (19:19):
We're in the final week now of the Hornets High
Cast season and this twenty twenty four to twenty five season.
I know you're gonna miss it. We'll get out of
the daily podcast game. One reminder for you. In addition
to our daily podcast here for the final week, we
also would invite you to go to the Hornets YouTube
page where we have our most recent sit down interview.
We did it with Miles Bridges, talked about his relationship
(19:41):
with the fans, his relationship on the floor with LaMelo Ball,
and talked about some of the great game winning plays
that he was a part of this season. So lots
to take in there and encourage you to go to
the Hornets YouTube page and check out our recent sit
down with Miles Bridges.
Speaker 4 (19:56):
Yeah, a lot of fun. Really enjoyed that podcast episode
as well. One more cap tip before we go, just
based off of the entire Hall of Fame induction, not
chart related. Carmela Anthony great player, was one of the
players that I really looked at growing up and one
that really got me into the NBA game, so had
to give a quick shout out to him.
Speaker 3 (20:12):
I like it all right.
Speaker 2 (20:13):
Tomorrow we will have our game preview for you for
the final home game of the twenty twenty four to
twenty five season, Charlotte hosting the Memphis Grizzlies. Tickets for
that fan appreciation celebration are available at Hornets dot com.
Hope to see you at the Hive til next time.
For Ron Blongo, I'm Sam Farber saying it's been a
pleasure and privilege having you with us. We'll talk to
you next time right here on the Hornets Hoodcast.
Speaker 1 (20:34):
Thank you for listening to The Hornets Podcast, brought to
you by SENTA, the official i ear noosenthroad Care provider
of the Charlotte Hornets. For more coverage, visit Hornets dot com.
Welcome to the Hornets Ivecast, 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 privileged DEBI with us here once
again on the Hornets I've cast brought to you by
Santa Charlotte I ear Nose and Throat Associates, the official
I ear Nosen Throwcare provider of the Charlotte Hornets.
Speaker 3 (00:32):
Hornets fall to the Chicago Bulls.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
The other day, one thirty one to one seventeen, making
this a Silver Linings edition of the AHHC. Hornets are
now nineteen and fifty nine on the season. After the
fourteen point loss to the Bulls, we'll break down the game,
select our Silver Linings performers, and also talk about one
of the big news pieces of the last couple of
days now, and that is the announcement of the twenty
(00:54):
twenty five Basketball Hall of Fame Class couple of significant
pieces with Tye to Charlotte, and we'll pick our favorites
of the class. They're all Hall of famers, but we'll
pick a couple of them for you here to highlight
on this episode of the HHC. Helping me on all
these topics. He's my producer on the Hornet Radio Network
as well as the producer of this fine podcast. He
made it past his birthday, Rob Longo, here with us
(01:17):
once again, Rob, Happy birthday once more to you. Unfortunately,
Charlotte could not turn in a win for your birthday
against the Chicago Bulls, but hopefully it was a wonderful celebration.
Speaker 4 (01:27):
Nonetheless, thank you, Yeah, I was. It was good to
see everybody. And weird because, oddly enough, forever how long
we've had this job for, we have never played on
my birthday before this, which is kind of an oddity
because I feel like we always play on your birthday
because you're at the end of October. I feel like
we're always in here. The home opener or opening night
is on your birthday. So got a little unlucky this year,
(01:47):
I guess in that sense, for having to work on
my birthday. But you know where else would I rather be?
Speaker 3 (01:51):
That's right. I mean, on the oneing, I feel the
same way.
Speaker 2 (01:53):
There's nothing I would rather do with my life than
have this as my profession. But you know, I missed
the kids, but we got to celebrate the greatness that
is life in the NBA for your birthday. But not
unfortunately a win for the Hornets they fall one thirty
one to one seventeen.
Speaker 3 (02:09):
Really the crux of basketball.
Speaker 2 (02:10):
We can look at all of these stats and analytics
and focus on size and speed.
Speaker 3 (02:15):
And everything comes together.
Speaker 2 (02:17):
But the one skill that is tantam out in basketball
that just seems more than any other to determine wins
and losses is how efficiently can you put the ball
in the basket? And that was what the difference was
the other day. The Hornets shot the ball pretty well,
They got to the line at a reasonable clip and
made a good percentage of their free throws. The problem
(02:39):
was they didn't shoot the three as well, and they
didn't shoot from the floor as well as Chicago. Charlotte
eight of thirty from beyond the arc twenty six percent,
forty eight percent from the floor. That's a good number
for Charlotte, but the three point percentage left a little
bit to be desired. Chicago, on the other hand, fifty
three percent from the floor sixteen to thirty six, forty
four percent from beyond the arc, led by Carolina native
(03:01):
Kobe White, who finished with a game high thirty seven points.
So Charlotte, it comes down to shot making rob and
the Hornets just didn't do enough of it. Chicago's playing well,
They're driving to the finish line. They've got their site
set on a postseason appearance right now. They are in
a tight race between seventh and tenth. Depending on how
this next week goes. Any one of the teams in
(03:21):
that fourteen mix could finish in any of the positions,
including Chicago as sending to number seven potentially. So they're
playing with the right kind of energy and mindset, and
they've now picked up three straight wins. They're fighting to
the finish line, and the Hornets gave him a good punch,
but the Bulls able to punch back.
Speaker 4 (03:37):
And again it all goes back to availability, I feel like,
because if you look at who was available for Chicago
was basically everybody except for Lonzo Ball. Lonzo Ball was
not available for that one on Sunday afternoon, but all
of the big gun showed up. Kobe White game high
thirty seven points, Josh Giddy twenty three, ten and eight,
Nikole Vucevic had sixteen, eleven and four, Kevin Herder at
thirteen points in a starting role, Mattus Buzzella's had ten points.
(03:58):
I mean, they had six guys in double figures. That
included Patrick Williams with fifteen off the bench, so their
guys were available.
Speaker 3 (04:04):
Hornets.
Speaker 4 (04:04):
Unfortunately, we're not, and that's kind of been the issue
all season here for Charlotte. And just one bad quarter
for the Hornets. Got outscored forty six to twenty seven
in that second frame. Down by twenty at halftime. That
was the largest deficit of the game for Charlotte. Hornets
ended up outscoring the Bulls in the second half alone
by itally of what sixty two to fifty six. They
ended up winning the second half plus six. So again,
(04:24):
just one bad quarter, it felt like, was the issue
for the Hornets in that second frame where Chicago got really,
really hot. In that second quarter, the Bulls made two
thirds of their shots eight to thirteen from three, six
to nine at the free throw line, which was an
issue for the Bulls. They ended up shooting below eighty
percent at the stripe. On the game yesterday Charlotte in
that second quarter forty seven percent from the field. That
looks great, but just only one of eight from beyond
(04:46):
the yark in eight to ten at the free throw line.
So again, one bad quarter was the issue for the Hornets,
and that was basically the ballgame right there.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
Game result is the game result, and you know, we're
at this stage of the season where the cakes already baked.
We know the Hornets are not going to make the postseason.
So there's the game within the game. Things that we're
looking for on a nightly basis to see the development
of the team, and one thing that we're really keying
in on is the performance of the rookie class and
they had a very good game overall.
Speaker 3 (05:12):
I would say the other day.
Speaker 2 (05:14):
Against Chicago Tjan Salon not the most efficient, didn't make
it three, didn't make a free throw, but six points,
six rebounds, attacking the glass, three assists, only one turnover
in twenty five plus minutes out there. He has really
shown a lot of growth over the course of the season.
Speaker 3 (05:29):
And then kJ Simpson had a career game.
Speaker 2 (05:32):
We'll get into him in a moment. But Yusuf Nurkic,
who had one of the best games for the team yesterday.
Not the team high that went to Mark Williams with
twenty two points and nine rebounds, but not far behind
was Nurkic off the bench with eighteen points. He had
this to say about the development the growth he has
seen from Tjan Salon since Nurkic joined the squad.
Speaker 5 (05:50):
Can Tijon at least when I got here doing good,
you know, probably early in here a little more, you know,
trying to figure out what he needed to do into
Gunna Flora. But for me something it was just training,
the culture, training friends, and everywhere you go it's the
first time, so it was kind of unique story for
me and probably for him too, Like every city, every
(06:12):
experience and playing and not playing. I think everything as
a whole is a good experience. And as a rookie,
all you have to do not trying to complicate your
life and be solid. And I think when I got
here kind of talked to him about making his life
easier on the floor, and I think so far you're
(06:32):
doing good. You know, he have some tweak ankles and stuff,
and that's part of the process. And you know, I
really believe he's super talented, but you know the game's
going to slow down for him anymore when he have
you know, experienced players around and you know, athletic and
shoot and every aspect of the summer is you're going
to work on and get better.
Speaker 2 (06:53):
There you have a use Of Nurkic, someone who knows
from experience what it's like to break in to the
NBA as a teenager coming from Europe.
Speaker 3 (07:00):
He did that over a decade ago.
Speaker 2 (07:02):
Now helping and watching as Usef Nurkic does the same
here and now Hornets fall to the Chicago Bulls one
thirty one to one seventeen. The final score will select
Silver Linings players. Might Nurkic make an appearance, We'll find
out next Here on the Hornets five Cast, Sam Farbar,
Rob Longo here with you on the AHHC The Hornets
(07:23):
if cast, brought to you by Santa all Right, Rob
Hornets fell yesterday one thirty one, one seventeen to the
Chicago Bulls. Plenty of players to choose from, though from
a Silver Linings perspective, you had a guy Josha Kogi
get back into the starting lineup.
Speaker 3 (07:36):
But even though he didn't make a field goal.
Speaker 2 (07:37):
He had the best plus minus of anyone on the
floor for Charlotte throughout the game in a contest where
the Hornets lost by fourteen. They dominated the minutes where
a kogi was on the floor. And then you've got
double digit performances from Mark Williams, from Seth Curry, kJ Simpson,
use Off Nurkic off the bench, any one of them
you like as your silver lining selection.
Speaker 4 (07:56):
Yeah, you touched on there towards the end a little bit.
I'm gonna take Mark Williams as my silver lining selection
from yesterday's game.
Speaker 2 (08:01):
Timpson inside, Mark Williams, pushed inside, laying yes kind of in.
Speaker 3 (08:06):
A foul and one opportunity for Mark Williams.
Speaker 4 (08:11):
Mark ended up being the guy that got the team
high yesterday twenty two points. Seven of eleven from the
field saw him take a three point attempt was halfway
down rimmed out unfortunately, so he's still searching for one
on the season, zero for one from beyond the york
eight to nine at the free throw line, a rebound
shy of a double double. I thought he played a
pretty solid game, especially in the fourth quarter as well.
Eight of his twenty two coming in that final frame.
(08:32):
He went three for four in a quarter as well,
and he also had four rebounds on the defensive side
of the floor. So I thought that he had a
strong close to the game when things were you know,
the Hornets were just trying to get back into it
a little bit there for lack of a better term,
because they were down fourteen going into the final frame,
so trying to keep things interesting. And he was playing
almost all the way until the final horn And something
(08:54):
that I'm appreciative of Mark here over the last couple
of games is being on the injury report with some backspasm,
but he's still battling out there. Started today as questionable,
I believe, or probably he wasn't fully expected to play
in this game one way or the other, ended up
going out there, He ended up playing, He ended up starting,
and I thought he played a pretty solid game. So
even though you look at the record and as you say,
(09:14):
the cake is already baked, Mark Williams is still out
there performing at a high level and wanting to get better.
And this is a great example of that. With the
team high twenty two yesterday.
Speaker 2 (09:22):
Yeah, and look a lot of the numbers came in
the fourth quarter for Mark Williams, he had when he
counted up your ten of his twenty two came in
the final frame. And I've heard the phrase used before
empty calories scoring in a point in the contest, where
to go back to the term, the cake's already bait.
You know what's going to happen in terms of end result.
I don't really buy into that in terms of individual stats,
(09:44):
because while there is certainly a difference between the tip
off of a game or the close of a contest
that's really tight and the close of a game that's
basically decided because it's ten to fifteen to twenty points
worth of margin, it's not easy to do this stuff
in the NBA. So to be able to make it
look easy, even if it's in the stretch of the
game where some people have taken their foot off the gas,
just to see Mark Williams go out there and dominate
(10:05):
for a quarter the way he did, that's a positive.
He's still a very young and somewhat raw player. He's
just played in a handful over one hundred career games.
He's only twenty three. He's got a lot of basketball
in front of him, and so any and every experience
where you can see success see things to learn from
is a positive one.
Speaker 3 (10:24):
So I like it.
Speaker 2 (10:25):
I do think that there are some people that I
got to do some cap tips too, because I was
not expecting you to take Mark Williams. But kJ Simpson
great game for him as the starting point guard. Career
high eighteen points, career high seven made field goals, career
high three made threes on six attempts, by the way,
so it's shooting a good percentage. This is a guy
who is at a bit of an advantage over some
(10:45):
rookies because he's twenty two years old. He led a
team in Colorado in his college years that had multiple
NBA level players. Still the college game versus the NBA game,
but he's playing with that kind of talent pool, knows
how to distribute, knows how to put numbers on the board.
He had a really really strong game. So hats off
to kJ for a great day. But I had already
made my silver lining selection, and that's gonna be use
(11:07):
of Nurkic. Five on the shot, Flock salon to Nurkic,
Gotta let it fly.
Speaker 3 (11:11):
Three on the way. It's good.
Speaker 2 (11:13):
Rip the net cord USI of Nurkice thrilling another lows
three point shot. Nurkic finished with eighteen points, eight of
eleven shooting from the floor, two for four from beyond
the arc. Here's what his head coach, Charles Lee had
to say after the game.
Speaker 6 (11:26):
First, I'll start with his veteran leadership. I think that
he has helped us a ton just how we approach
the game, how we're thinking about the game. He's like
sees the next play before it even happens, or the
defensive shifts and coverages. He has such a great feel
for the game. He almost becomes like another point guard
on the floor, and so his ability to communicate what
(11:47):
he sees too is really good and really high level.
And then I think just from a playing standpoint, he
gives us another presence to be able to get a
piece of the paint.
Speaker 1 (11:54):
You know.
Speaker 6 (11:55):
I love being able to drive and kick and get
the defense to kind of collapse. We get some open
catch and shoot threes, and we're gonna keep taking the
best on contesta shot we can. But it is nice
to every now and then be able to dump it
down to him, be able to take advantage of a
mismatch and now that he's also just a great playmaker,
like if the if the game tells him the pass,
he'll kick out for one of those open threes too.
So it's nice just having that presence there.
Speaker 2 (12:16):
Nurkis brings so much to the table here for the team,
and I've heard it ask several times in several different ways, what.
Speaker 3 (12:22):
Is his future?
Speaker 2 (12:23):
I mean, Nurkic is a very good NBA center on
any roster right now, seemingly at least from my perspective,
And he just represents so much depth here at a
spot where the Hornets seemingly have had so little or
at least not enough to cover when there's been an
injury or two at that spot in years past. So
hopefully things bode well for his and the hornets aligned
(12:43):
future here for Charlotte moving forward, one thirty one, one seventeen,
the final score against the Chicago Bulls. Only one home
game left on the schedule. It is tomorrow, Charlotte hosting
the Memphis Grizzlies seven pm tip time at Spectrum Center.
Tickets are available at Hornets dot com.
Speaker 3 (12:58):
When we return.
Speaker 2 (12:59):
A Hall of Fame class was announced the twenty twenty
five Naysmith Basketball Hall of Fame class has been announced.
A couple of people with Hornets ties a part of it.
We'll discuss it next here on the Hornets Sidecast. Sam Farbar,
Rob Longo here with you on the HHC The Hornets
Side Cast, brought to you by Santa Rob. The twenty
(13:20):
twenty five Naysmith Basketball Hall of Fame class has been announced.
Speaker 3 (13:26):
It's now about.
Speaker 2 (13:26):
Forty eight hours old. The announcement here. First up, the
Redeemed team is a part of it. The two thousand
and eight US Olympic men's basketball team will go as
a collective into the Hall of Fame.
Speaker 3 (13:38):
Individuals.
Speaker 2 (13:38):
You've got Carmelo Anthony, a ten time NBA All Star,
going in as a player. Referee Danny Crawford will go in.
He had a thirty two year career ending in twenty
seventeen as an official, over two thousand career games, three
hundred playoff games, thirty finals games as judge, jury and
found distributor in the association. Coach Billy Donovan going in,
(14:01):
player Dwight Howard going in, and from the women's side,
Sue Byrd, Sylvia Fouls and Maya Moore have all been
selected for the Nasmith Basketball Hall of Fame. Lastly, a
contributor going in Mickey Aronson, the longtime owner of the
Miami Heat. So lots to choose from here. Typically, we
(14:22):
don't want to dive too deep on everyone, even though
they're all deserving of their accolades, and we always look
forward to the festivities there for the Hall of Fame.
But we're going to each take a shot at one person, player, team, executive,
whatever it is, and a little bit of the detail
on why you pick them, and hopefully it's aligned with Charlotte.
So who from the class of twenty twenty five. Hopefully
(14:44):
someone tied to Charlotte stands out to you.
Speaker 4 (14:46):
Well, if you're going to push me in that direction
that they're tied to Charlotte, I guess I have to
go with Dway Howard, right. I mean, he played here
for a season twenty seventeen twenty eighteen, had a really
good year. I mean he played an eighty one game,
started eighty one games, was playing thirty and a half
minutes per contest. He was still averaging sixteen points and
twelve and a half rebounds, had an assist, had a
block and a half on average as well. He was
still playing at a very high level. I know that.
Speaker 3 (15:08):
You know.
Speaker 4 (15:08):
The following year he goes to Washington and only plays
a couple of games there, then gets moved to the
Lakers as well. Over the next couple of seasons and
seventy six ers, So it was towards the back end
of his career that he was here in Charlotte, but
he was still having a really, really, really solid season
and definitely helped the Hornets along the way as well.
So I think that, you know, because you had to
push me in the direction of the Charlotte Ties. I
(15:30):
don't know why you wanted to limit me.
Speaker 3 (15:32):
To there's a Hornets podcast, sure.
Speaker 4 (15:34):
But we're talking about the NBA here. So but if
you're gonna push me a direction, I gotta go with
White Howard.
Speaker 3 (15:38):
I think that's the only selection that you could go,
not the only one.
Speaker 4 (15:42):
I I was just say, who are you gonna take?
Speaker 2 (15:43):
Then I'll take it a moment for some flowers here
for Dwight Howard, who if you're looking at.
Speaker 3 (15:50):
It and being honest, maybe the last.
Speaker 2 (15:52):
Great year of his NBA career came in the Queens City.
He played in eighty one games, sixteen points, six points
per game, which was the best average he'd had since
his last All Star season with Houston. The twenty thirteen
fourteen campaign was the last time in his career that
he averaged a double double twelve and a half rebounds
(16:13):
per game, which, by the way, the twelve and a
half boards more than what he averaged when he led
the league in rebounding as a member of the Lakers
back in twenty thirteen. You're right, he became, you know,
kind of a well traveled journeyman guy who could contribute
off the bench, but when he was in his prime,
he was Superman. Literally, he put on the cape and
everything and did the Slam Dunk Contest. He represents a generation,
(16:35):
I would say, of NBA players that valued the All
Star Game and the festivities around it differently, not just
in terms of how they played the All Star Games,
and some of this as being a big man, you
approach it maybe a little bit differently, but also just
flat out being in the Slam Dunk Contest. He did
it in two thousand and seven, two thousand and eight,
(16:55):
when he won it was back in two thousand and nine,
came back and did it again in twenty twelve. So
as an elder statesman, he still wasn't done. He came
on back and participated in the Dunk Contest that was
the year he was with the Lakers, and won a championship.
So in some respects, he doesn't get as much respect
as he deserves, having been a former number one overall
(17:17):
pick and been an exemplary player, a multiple time Defensive
Player of the Year, top five in the MVP vote
several times, All NBA First Team a handful of times
he did so much.
Speaker 3 (17:29):
But even so, I think.
Speaker 2 (17:31):
Will appreciate him and his greatness more as the years
go on, and I certainly haven't will certainly always remember
the year he had for Charlotte, helping out this franchise.
But you took Superman. I thought he was the obvious one.
I dug a little deeper. I'm gonna go with referee
Danny Crawford. I dug deep into the numbers here, Rob.
As you would expect, Crawford didn't have the best record
(17:53):
for Charlotte.
Speaker 3 (17:54):
I should say Charlotte didn't have the best record.
Speaker 2 (17:55):
They were under five hundred with him, and he refereed
fewer Hornets games than most NBA teams. But part of
that was because Charlotte took a year or two off
there as the franchise moved to New Orleans and then
got back an expansion franchise.
Speaker 3 (18:09):
But nevertheless, the last time.
Speaker 2 (18:11):
We saw Danny Crawford officiating a Charlotte playoff game, it
was a Charlotte win twenty sixteen Hornets versus Seat opening
round game four Hornets win eighty nine eighty five and
Crawford there on the crew.
Speaker 3 (18:25):
So I want to give some flowers to one of
the great officials. There's very little.
Speaker 2 (18:30):
Respect, it seems, in the game given for the best
of the game, but there are such great characters. They
add so much, and I think compared to all the
other sports, there is something about the way officials both
influence in a positive way of the game, but don't
take away from the greatness of the game. You know,
you find it hard to remember a game in the
(18:51):
postseason that really changes based off errant calls from the
officials that they're truly the best in the world of
what they do. There's always something you can look at,
but by and large, the players determine the outcomes and
the officials just do it a great job in influencing
the game in a positive way. Danny Crawford did it
for decades, a worthy recipient of Hall of Fame honors,
(19:12):
and we look forward to him and all the other
honorees making their way into the Hall of Fame in
the class of twenty twenty five.
Speaker 3 (19:18):
All right, rob b Longo, that does it.
Speaker 2 (19:19):
We're in the final week now of the Hornets High
Cast season and this twenty twenty four to twenty five season.
I know you're gonna miss it. We'll get out of
the daily podcast game. One reminder for you. In addition
to our daily podcast here for the final week, we
also would invite you to go to the Hornets YouTube
page where we have our most recent sit down interview.
We did it with Miles Bridges, talked about his relationship
(19:41):
with the fans, his relationship on the floor with LaMelo Ball,
and talked about some of the great game winning plays
that he was a part of this season. So lots
to take in there and encourage you to go to
the Hornets YouTube page and check out our recent sit
down with Miles Bridges.
Speaker 4 (19:56):
Yeah, a lot of fun. Really enjoyed that podcast episode
as well. One more cap tip before we go, just
based off of the entire Hall of Fame induction, not
chart related. Carmela Anthony great player, was one of the
players that I really looked at growing up and one
that really got me into the NBA game, so had
to give a quick shout out to him.
Speaker 3 (20:12):
I like it all right.
Speaker 2 (20:13):
Tomorrow we will have our game preview for you for
the final home game of the twenty twenty four to
twenty five season, Charlotte hosting the Memphis Grizzlies. Tickets for
that fan appreciation celebration are available at Hornets dot com.
Hope to see you at the Hive til next time.
For Ron Blongo, I'm Sam Farber saying it's been a
pleasure and privilege having you with us. We'll talk to
you next time right here on the Hornets Hoodcast.
Speaker 1 (20:34):
Thank you for listening to The Hornets Podcast, brought to
you by SENTA, the official i ear noosenthroad Care provider
of the Charlotte Hornets. For more coverage, visit Hornets dot com.
Hosts And Creators
Sam Farber
Rob Longo
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