April 9, 2024 • 32 mins
With the Hornets playing their final home game of the season, Sam Farber and Sam Perley of Hornets.com preview Buzz City's matchup against Dallas. The two also discuss some milestones to watch for over the final week of the season for some Hornets players, and also take a look at some of the best trios that were out on the floor this season for Charlotte and why the future core of the team may already be here.
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Speaker 1 (00:02):
Welcome to the Hornets Hoivecast, 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 iive Cast, your
Hornets podcast with all the notes, quote san daily buzz
around your favorite NBA team. I'm Sam Farber and it
is a pleasure and a privilege devy with us here
once again on the Hornets I've Cast brought to you
by Santa Charlotte I hear Nosen Throat Associates, the official
I hear Nosen throwcare provider of the Charlotte Hornets. It's
the final home game of the twenty three to twenty
(00:35):
four regular season. Hornets will host the Dallas Mavericks. We
love a game preview for this one. Also want to
talk about some of the milestones and or Hornets record
list that the Hornet players current are targeting, either in
this final game at home at Spectrum Center tonight or
over the course of the final four games the regular season.
Will give you the details on those and we're going
(00:57):
to look back at the most productive reman lineup for
the Charlotte Hornets on this season. I wasn't on the
floor for very long, as you might imagine, because there
were so many injuries for the team, But there was
one group with a certain baseline of minutes played that
at a better run than any other. We'll try and
extrapolate from there as to what they might be able
to achieve in seasons to come. Helping me on all
(01:18):
these topics, he is one of our favorite senior writer
on Hornets dot Com. The great Sam Parley back for
another two SAMs edition of the AHHC. Actually it's our
last two SAMs edition of the HC at least in
person in studio for this twenty three twenty four season.
Speaker 3 (01:32):
Yes, I was gonna you've snuck it in there at
the end, just in the regular season. There'll be hopefully
more to come. This isn't the end of our time together.
I guess doing these until the start of next season.
But yeah, last home game coming up and then regame
road trip, and then it'll be into the off season
just like that.
Speaker 2 (01:48):
Yeah, I don't know how many days or weeks or
months we're going to get to take off here as
we get ready to prepare for seasons to come, but
this is our last one in terms of game preview episodes,
at least in person. We'll find out in any case,
Sam Perli, always good to have you here. Let's start
off talking about some of the things we're watching for
in these final few games. And I'm a big fan
(02:09):
of this. I'm a big believer. It's part of our
jobs as people who cover the team, you with a
written word me talking on the radio, is that there's
always something to watch for. There's no such thing as
a meaningless game or a meaningless moment in an NBA
or really any kind of pro or high level college
sporting contest. And so you know, I always like to
take these into account. Who's getting close to certain records, milestones, whatnot.
(02:33):
There are two players in particular that I have circled.
I know you've circled some as well. So I'll give
you my list. You tell me yay or nay?
Speaker 4 (02:41):
Will this horn? It's player reached this milestone or mile marker.
Sound good?
Speaker 3 (02:45):
Sounds good?
Speaker 2 (02:46):
All right, We're going to start off with one of
the obvious ones. Brandon Miller. This is something we have
been computing. I've been doing it since you let me
know about it. But now I'm really knee deep into it.
Brandon Miller one hundred and seventy four made threes going
into the final four games of the fifth most by
a rookie in NBA history. He's passed some huge names
Steph Curry, Luka Dancic, just to name a couple. He
(03:08):
is now one three back of Sadiq Bay for fourth.
I think the assumption is he's going to get there.
How about this, though, he needs eleven to catch up
to Dame Lillard for the third most in a single
season in NBA history for a rookie and thirteen to
catch Donovan Mitchell for second. Will he catch either of
those two leading players in the NBA landscape?
Speaker 3 (03:30):
So he needs he needs fourteen to get into second
over the final four games. So that's about three a
little over three a game. I will say yes, because
I think he's gonna have He'll have like a five
or six three pointer game over here in these final four,
and I think he can kind of go the two
or three in the other four after that. So I'll
say Brandon Miller finishes with one hundred and eighty eight
(03:52):
three pointers.
Speaker 4 (03:53):
I love it now. Just a little add on for this.
Speaker 2 (03:55):
By the way, the record for threes in a rookie
season is Keegan Murray. He's more than three back of that.
That seems very unlikely, but I would love to be
able to update that one couple of podcasts from now, say, hey,
he's targeting this. If he gets hot, he'll also reach
this mile marker. But a little addendum to the previous question.
He is only seventeen made threes away from having one
(04:16):
of the ten best singles season three point shooting campaigns
in Hornet's franchise history. Kelly Ubre holds the ten spot.
He made one hundred and ninety one threes in seventy
six games during the twenty one to twenty two season. Miller,
if he maxes out, he plays every game, he'll play
in seventy five total games, so one less than Ubre
did that season. He needs seventeen. So you think he
(04:37):
can get the thirteen needed or fourteen? I guess you
put it to hold second all on his own? Does
he have enough in the tank to shoot and make
seventeen threes in these final four games he.
Speaker 3 (04:48):
Gets the seventeen, he's gonna need like two games now,
with at least like five threes or something like that
to get to ten, and then he can have kind
of his normal three ish three to four the rest
of the game. So that one just feels like I
think fourteen is still he's gonna have to play really
well over the final four games and really hit some shots.
Seventeen feels achievable, but that's also that's a lot of
(05:09):
threes in four games too. So I will say, you
know what, why not let's have fun this final week.
I'll be let's see if he can get to it.
Let's go seventeen threes and he gets to I'll bump
my answer from my last one. I'll say one ninety
two is what he finishes with my last Kelly Ubre
for tenth.
Speaker 4 (05:25):
I love it.
Speaker 2 (05:25):
I love the additional confidence there with that other target
to shoot for a couple ones that are easy.
Speaker 4 (05:30):
I think he will do these, or these players will
do these.
Speaker 2 (05:33):
Brandon Miller currently forty five points away from moving into
third in Hornets franchise history for total points in a
rookie season. He trails Rex Chapman in that category. If
he's making all these threes, he's gonna get that one.
So that one seems like it's a pretty good target.
Unlikely he'll move any further because he's three hundred points
back of Larry Johnson for a second and almost four
(05:53):
hundred behind Alonzo Morning for the most by a Hornet's
rookie in their rookie season. That just doesn't seem possible.
With four games left to go, If he scores one
hundred a night, Will Chamber will hold up the sign
every day. That would be very entertainment. Doesn't seem likely,
but moving into the top three does. Another one that
seems likely. Miles Bridges is thirteen points away from moving
(06:13):
into eighth in franchise history in career scoring. Raymond Felton
currently occupies that spot five three hundred eleven points. That
will likely fall tonight. Miles Bridges will elevate into the
eighth spot. But the last one I had circled here,
Sam Purley, as a question for you, will Miles Bridges
and the season leading the league in minutes per game,
(06:33):
He's right now somewhere in the neighborhood of ten to
fifteen seconds per game ahead of DeMar Derosion, who is
second in the NBA. Miles Bridges in this era, this
is one of the more impressive minutes per game runs
anyone has had. If you compare it to ten, fifteen,
twenty years ago, it wouldn't even be close to number one,
but right now it is, and so being one of
(06:54):
the NBA's iron man's I think is significant in any era.
He'd be the third player in franchise history to do it.
Anthony Mason led the league in minutes per game in
the ninety six to ninety seven season, Larry Johnson did
it in ninety two ninety three. Question for you, Sam Peerle,
does Miles Bridges end the season leading the league in
minutes per game?
Speaker 3 (07:12):
I think he does. And I'm looking at the guys
below him, like you said, tomar Dero's and Tyres Maxi,
Luka Doncic and then Kevin Durant all thirty seven plus,
and it just feels like I haven't looked at the standings.
But all those teams will be playing in some sort
of playoff or play in or postseason game that maybe
they kind of pull it back a little bit over
this final week or rain in the minutes with more
(07:33):
games to come, but they also could push it a
little bit if they need to win some of these
games over this final week, but I will say yes,
Miles will continue to or will finish the season as
the NBA's minutes later.
Speaker 2 (07:44):
I think that one's likely too. For a slightly different reason.
You talked about them maybe needing to go all out
to win a game. I think it's more likely that
they scaled back at least one game. All those other
guys Deroz and Maxi, Doncic, Durant, they're all the ones
who are kind of within striking distance within a min
in it per game, let's say, so, it seems likely
all those guys will at some point have a tune
(08:05):
up game where they play roughly the first half, maybe
three quarters, and then shut it down and don't play
their full allotment of mints, which would hurt their minute
per game average, whereas Miles Bridges has no reason to
do that, and if he is in fact, or the
team is in fact targeting this milestone, then they'll make
sure that if he's going to shut it down, he
doesn't play in the game entirely, and if he's going
to play in the game, he plays his normal allotment
(08:28):
of mints.
Speaker 4 (08:28):
So that's my prediction there.
Speaker 2 (08:29):
I gave you time to survey the field see if
there was any milestones that I'm not aware of that
I can now steal and use in my broadcast.
Speaker 4 (08:35):
Anything catch your.
Speaker 3 (08:36):
Eye, Yes, I have one or two things, and real
quick on Brandon Miller, trying to see if he's had
any stretches this season or what would be his best,
like four game stretch with in terms of three pointers,
and it looks like just very recently, starting with the
at the beginning of the home stand, he had. Trying
to do the math, we had seventeen threes in the
first four games of the homestand the Cleveland Golden State
(08:57):
Clippers in Boston, one of those being the seven to
three pointer game against Cleveland to open it up, So
certainly is possible, and it was possible obviously, just did
it very recently. So the milestones that I had, the
one I'm going to start with is also Miles Bridge
is related needs one hundred and eleven points total over
the final four games to record the tenth highest single
(09:21):
season scoring average in team history. I think I got
the math right on this. If I didn't, I'm off
a couple of decimal spots or moving this over there
it would put him at twenty one points seven points
per game. Right now, he's at twenty one point three,
and tenth place is Glenn Rice at twenty one point six.
I think he did that in the ninety five ninety
six season, but that would move Miles firmly pasted him
(09:44):
at twenty one point seven, Jason Richardson twenty one point eight,
and then so on so forth. So one hundred and
eleven points over the final four games. Can he do it?
Speaker 4 (09:52):
I think he can. I think it's a little aggressive.
Speaker 2 (09:54):
He's had some up and down stretches here over the
last couple of weeks, but he's one of the primary
scores for the team. You will get the number of
field goal attempts to get there, and who knows what
kind of competition he's going to face on a nightly basis,
given what teams are shooting for or maybe are resting
for in their final four games in terms of opponents.
Speaker 4 (10:11):
So I'll say yeah, I'll say he gets there.
Speaker 3 (10:13):
Yeah, I would say yes as well. But this last week,
like I mentioned, it's so weird because you just don't know.
The tone is so different. You got a lot of
teams like really really playing for stuff. You got some
teams doing evaluation stuff, so it's hard to get a
real kind of read on some of these things. It's
like you really don't know, But that's what kind of
makes it fun. It's going to be a fun week
in the NBA, obviously. You know, we wish the Hornets
(10:35):
were gearing up for it for playoff games, but hopefully
they can continue to play spoiler a little bit and
shake things up like they've done did recently against Orlando.
But I will say yes on miles, although I think
you have to average maybe like twenty seven ish twenty eight,
I think I got that right to almost twenty eight
points per game. Yes, So that's really all I have
(10:56):
for milestones. You did a really good job of kind
of rob rulesing. Mind going to do the Kelly Uber
one and the Brandon Miller three's one obviously, but that's
where I'm at.
Speaker 2 (11:04):
Yeah, well, we got some targets for these guys to
shoot for, and we'll see how many of these milestones
they can achieve. Will of course be tracking them all
here on the Hornets sive cast as well as during
the game call.
Speaker 4 (11:14):
If you're listening to me on the Hornets Radio Network.
Speaker 2 (11:17):
Coming up next, Those were some players who've had outstanding
seasons playing the bulk of the campaign. There are a
couple obvious answers to who really had some great individual
games but didn't necessarily stay on the floor very long.
And yet they are trios that were looking forward to
seeing hopefully for longer stretches in the years to come.
We'll tell you why next Here on the Hornet Side Cast,
(11:42):
Sam Farbar and Sam Purley here with you on the
HC The Hornets Side Cast, brought to you by SENTA.
Last home game of the season tonight, Hornet's hosting the
Dallas Mavericks, Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving and Company in town.
Tickets are available at Hornets dot com. In the first
five thousand through the door, get a very nice summer
vibes straw hat type of thing. It's got the big
(12:02):
wide circle brim Hornets logo right on top, perfect for
summertime by the beach or out of the ball field
wherever you might be hanging out over the course of
this summer time. In anticipation of the twenty four to
twenty five campaign which will be here before we know it,
but definitely would love to see it Spectrum Center tonight,
last chance to see the Hornets here on this twenty
three to twenty four campaign. Unfortunately, as we know all
(12:24):
too well Sam Purley, this is yet another season that
has been marked by injury and absence. But there are
some really strong reasons for confidence for the future when
it comes to the core. One of them is looking
around the league and teams that have made a significant
jump from outside of the postseason for multiple years now
to not just in the playoffs, but a top four seed.
Sacramento did it two seasons ago. There solidly in the
(12:45):
playoff picture. Right now, they'll make at least the play
in tournament and we'll see what happens in their final
four games. Then you've got teams like Orlando, teams like
Oklahoma City who have been.
Speaker 4 (12:55):
Lottery bound year after year after year.
Speaker 2 (12:57):
They get this young core together, finally get them all healthy,
and voila seemingly like magic, they end up a top
four seat. Charlotte could certainly be that if they can
get healthy. Brandon Miller is a strong building block. LaMelo Ball,
the former Rookie of the Year and a former All Star.
If he can stay healthy, he might be one of
the top twenty players in the NBA, and then you've
got a really strong center prospect in Mark Williams. Then
(13:20):
everyone is really high on It's all about having them
together on the court. But I wanted to try and
put in context here just how good that trio is.
And I know I'm reaching a little because Sam Perli,
you're an expert on all things NBA. Roughly, how many
minutes would you say are played in an average NBA
season and no cheating and doing the map here, just
you know, give me a ballpark.
Speaker 3 (13:38):
Is this for like one single player.
Speaker 2 (13:40):
One single play, Like how many minutes could if you
played every minute of every game in an NBA season?
Speaker 4 (13:45):
Roughly where a ginned up.
Speaker 3 (13:46):
Never really thought about it. I think if you played
every minute in every every game and didn't miss a
single one. Trying to do the math in my head,
like thirty three thirty four hundred something like that.
Speaker 2 (13:54):
A little closer to four thousand, bit it's up there.
So it's up there. I looked for combos that played
at least one hundred minutes in the course of the season,
so we're looking like two three four percent of the
total minutes.
Speaker 4 (14:08):
It's a very small sample size.
Speaker 2 (14:10):
Obviously for your core players, you'd like to see him
playing I don't know, fifty percent of the minutes or
at least more than that out there on the floor.
But if you're looking at the core being LaMelo Ball,
Mark Williams, Brandon Miller, they played at combined one hundred
and fifty three minutes together, roughly four percent of the
vote what will be available come seasons end. They're net
rating together plus five point four one to fourteen point
(14:31):
nine on offense, one h nine point five on defense,
and so the net comes out to five point four.
Why is that significant? That's the best net rating of
any three player combo for the Hornets that played at
least one hundred minutes together, where all three players are
still on the rosters. So if you're looking for evidence
that the core can work, that is a pretty good
(14:52):
sign that that trio will play well together.
Speaker 4 (14:55):
And keep in mind, this was very early in the season.
Speaker 2 (14:57):
Brandon Miller really hadn't established himself just yet as not
just a good rookie, but a really strong overall player
in the NBA. Now you know what these ratings and
how they're computated a little bit better than I do.
But am I barking up the right tree here to
say that that is a pretty good breadcrumb to future
success here for the Hornets.
Speaker 3 (15:16):
Absolutely, And I want to say, I think you mentioned
it's the one hundred and fifty three minutes over the
twelve total games, with the last one, I believe being
the November twenty six game in Orlando where LaMelo sprained
his ankle and then by the time he came back,
Mark was out, so never really got to see it again.
But I kind of filtered it a little bit differently.
I looked at just their sixty four different combinations of
(15:37):
three man lineups that the Hornets have run out this season,
and I used one hundred and fifty minutes and included
guys that still weren't on the team. So yeah, I
still got number one five point four. It was one
of only three positive ones, the others being Gordon Hayward,
Mark Williams, and Brandon Miller, and then Gordon Hayward, LaMelo
Ball and Brandon Miller. And it also finished with.
Speaker 2 (15:55):
The is that sorry, say I'm interesting real quick that
Brandon Miller is in all three?
Speaker 3 (16:00):
Oh yeah, yeah, that's the common thread there. So it's
definitely a really encouraging sign. I know, it's not a
huge sample size and you'd have to go really really
deep into you know, if you look at like elite
trios in the NBA with like, what's a just out
of perspective, we don't have it on here, but maybe
we can circle back later on downline, what's a Durrant
Beal and Booker? Like with the minutes they play together,
(16:21):
what's their net rating? So one hundred and fifty three
minutes isn't a ton of time, just kind of looking
Also on the Hornet's rankings for that they were ninth.
That's the ninth best offensive rating out of the sixty
four three man lineups with one hundred and fifty minutes.
They were second in defense, and they also had the
best rebounding percentage as well with those three. So it
is encouraging and it also makes you feel a little
I guess it's a bittersweet.
Speaker 4 (16:42):
Yeah, yeah, a little bit.
Speaker 3 (16:43):
It's bittersweet because it's like, Okay, it's really encouraging and
it's it's a good sign for things for the future.
But also it's hard not to finish a season like this,
and finish a season like last year and not look
back and just say, man, we just never got to
see this team. I mean, the first half in Orlando
is the only time you ever got to see this
team as whole as it could possibly be. I think
(17:04):
that's kind of the toughest thing is you do feel
you know, you said it's you kind of feel cheated
in a way because it just never really got a
fair shake at at this thing because of you know,
some bad luck and things outside of your control.
Speaker 2 (17:16):
Just for a little added context here, how good is
a one oh five point four over or sorry, a
five point four plus five point four net rating? Well,
if you were looking at teams, the fourth best net
rating in the NBA this year right now is the
Denver Nuggets. They're sitting at five point two, so you're
talking about a top five overall team offensive rating. Again,
for that Trio, it was one fourteen point nine compared
(17:37):
to the NBA. That's roughly middle of the pack. That's
a kind of an average NBA team, So it wasn't
exactly eye popping offense.
Speaker 4 (17:44):
Defensively, it was one oh nine point five. That is
very good.
Speaker 2 (17:47):
That would be actually a top two finish only team
with a better defensive rating this season the Minnesota Timberwolves
one oh seven point seven, So kind of a Steve
Clifford designed trio as it turns out, with LaMelo and
Brandon in that they had an excellent defensive rating, average offense,
and that nets out a really good overall group that
(18:08):
if you expanded it over the course of the entire season,
playing closer to two thousand minutes rather than under two hundred,
maybe you've got the makings of a really high quality squad.
A couple other comparison notes, looking at the best offensive
rating for any three man group that's still on the
Charlotte Hornets that played at least one hundred minutes, I
came up with Miles Bridges, Mark Williams, and Brandon Miller.
(18:29):
Their offensive rating was one point fifteen point four in
one hundred and eighteen minutes. So again it's a small
sample size and not too much better than that first
trio I talked about LaMelo, Mark and Miller, but it
is slightly better. And then for defensive rating, the best
trio that played for Charlotte this year at least one
hundred minutes that's still all on the team. Nick Richards
(18:50):
Grant Williams and Trey Mann. One hundred and forty minutes there.
Net rating was minus two point two. Not very good offensively,
but defensively would have rated the best in the NBA,
even better than that Minnesota team. So just a few
names out there, this is not you know, hard and fast.
This group has to be on the floor all the time. Clearly,
we would love to see LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, Mark Williams,
(19:11):
They've been talked about all season long as the core
for the squad. But some of those other names that
trickle in there, Miles Bridges, Grant Williams, Nick Richards, Trey
Man further evidence that it's not just their individual stats
that shine brightly, but collectively they play well as a group.
Speaker 3 (19:24):
Yeah, and that's what a lot of this point of
the season is. And the Hornets are kind of in
a unique situation where they had so many new guys
come in at the trade deadline and then also counting
Alexei Pokashevsky, who they signed a little bit after that.
But that's a big part of the evaluation process right now.
And I think last year was the late season evaluation
process was more geared towards you know, kind of seeing
some of the younger guys and getting them. It's about
(19:44):
seeing different combinations and seeing what you have right now.
And I think that's a lot of what the focus
has been lately as you're rolling out really these lineups
right now to win these games, and you're winning some
of them, you right there in that Oklahoma City game,
but you're looking to get a big and sample size
so you can go into the offseason and say, hey,
we've got four hundred minutes together with you know, Vassili
(20:05):
Michicic and Trey Mann playing together, or this three man
lineup of Grant Williams, Miles Bridges and Dovist Burton's like,
there still is a lot of you know, it's almost
like they kind of got a new assignment in the
middle of the year, as opposed to last year when
there wasn't really as much shuffling mid season. This year
there really was. So that's what I think they've used
a lot of these last two months and handful of
(20:26):
games is you've got a lot to work with right now.
It's just kind of figuring out how it's going to
best help you moving forward and kind of building a
big enough sample size you can really extract some stuff
from going into the draft and going into free agency,
and real quick, just because I mentioned it in the
last answer, out of curiosity, I quickly looked up the
net rating for Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal
(20:48):
this season. That's just the big three that came to mind.
In thirty seven games this season, seven hundred and fifty
five minutes, their net rating is six point two with
a one twenty five offensive rating, which is about two
and a half points ahead of the Hornets. What of
the three we've been talking about, and the defense is
four points behind or five points behind the Hornets defense
trio that we've been talking about in the net rating
(21:10):
is about zero point eight points better net rating wise,
So a ton of different factors, but it gives a
little bit of Fredens at a five point four net
rating is definitely something to work.
Speaker 4 (21:20):
With beigause number.
Speaker 2 (21:21):
This stands out from that one as they played seven
hundred plus minutes together, which net group had injuries as well.
Hornets fifth at this current stage of that trios. Hopefully
Hornets are closer to that one. Hopefully they're well passed
it next year. But a little bit of further evidence
that the core might already be in store here for
the Charlotte Hornets. All right, one more game at home
at Spectrum Center, to pull some more data from me.
(21:42):
It's against the Dallas Mavericks. It's tonight. Tickets are available
at Hornets dot com. We'll have our game preview next
here on the Hornets Ivecast. Sam Farber, Sam Purley here
with you on the HHC, brought to you by CENTA.
Hornet's getting ready to take on the Dallas Mavericks. Tickets
are available at Hornets dot Dallas one of the hottest
teams in the NBA.
Speaker 4 (22:02):
They're forty eight and thirty overall.
Speaker 2 (22:03):
They've won three in a row, ten of their last eleven,
fourteen of their last sixteen. That said, it's a little
unclear how much they really have to play for right now.
They're a bit more solidified than most teams in the
playoff bracket. They are two games back of La Clippers
for fourth. They're two games up on the Suns and
Pelicans for fifth place. So it's pretty unlikely they're going
(22:28):
to catch the Clippers, and it's pretty unlikely they're going
to be caught. That said, A win for them, maybe
put some pressure on the Clippers at least keeps the
pressure off them to avoid the Suns and the Pelicans
in the final then three games of the season, so
they still have something to play for. We've got a
former Maverick on the Hornets now, and there is a
former Hornet on the MAVs as well, So a little
(22:49):
extra wrinkle here to this one as we get set
for it here on the AHHC Sam Perli, we need
players for both sides as well as a stat to watch.
Speaker 4 (22:56):
Where would you like to begin?
Speaker 3 (22:57):
Don't forget Davis Berton's also former Maverick. I will go
with Hornet to watch, and I'm going to go with
Miles Bridges. We talked a little bit about some of
the numbers he's been chasing, both minutes and scoring wise.
Sat out I think the Portland game last week, and
since he's come back, the shooting has been kind of
a little spotty from three point range. He's only shooting
twenty three percent from three over his past two games,
but still averaging nineteen points, seven and a half rebounds.
(23:20):
Really like what I've seen from a playmaking perspective for Miles.
He's had averaging three and a half assists. He had
an eight assist game against Boston last week. He seems
to be doing a really good job of kind of
filling in the gaps a little bit, especially from that
playmaking standpoint. Grant Williams doing the same thing as well,
helping out on the boards, tacking the basket, you know,
going for those layups and putting pressure on the rim.
(23:41):
It's a three point shooting a little bit. Again, I
think it's kind of been an on and off issue
this season, not necessarily maybe just settling a little bit
sometimes for shots or things like that. So I think
the more Miles can kind of just put pressure on
the rim, it just helps the Hornets offense so much
more because help defense comes, you can kick it out
and it's just an araa. He's so good at So
I'm gonna look at Miles. I think he's, you know,
really looking to finish the season strong, and obviously I
(24:04):
think twenty points twenty five points is certainly within the
realm of possibilities with this last four games.
Speaker 4 (24:09):
I like it.
Speaker 2 (24:10):
I'll be honest, I had other ideas walking into the studio,
but I'm gonna just do a pivot here, I'm gonna
go with Grant Williams. I'm going with the former Maverick
in this one. A couple of reasons.
Speaker 4 (24:19):
Why.
Speaker 2 (24:20):
One, It's just a nice storyline. He was obviously traded
from Dallas to Charlotte, signed with Dallas.
Speaker 4 (24:25):
Or was traded.
Speaker 2 (24:26):
Really he was done, he re signed with Boston and
was traded to Dallas. But the long and the short
of is he chose to go to Dallas and then
they facilitated the trade to make everything work financially for
both teams under the salary cap.
Speaker 4 (24:38):
But that's neither here nor there.
Speaker 2 (24:39):
There is ample reason for Grant Williams to be motivated
for this one. Now if you look in the course
of Grant Williams's career, actually the worst team he plays
against has been Dallas. He's only played against them eight times. Obviously,
he was with Boston, so cross conference matchups don't happen
very often. He only shot eleven percent from three, thirty
one percent from the floor three point one points per
(25:02):
game against the Mavericks in those eight games. All of
those are the worst he's average against any team in
the NBA, but he does do well in revenge games.
The only the only potential ones you could point to
before are against Boston, and that's less of a revenge game.
He made the choice, but you know, still one where
there's a clear connection. When he took on Boston the
(25:23):
two times this year, once with Charlotte, once with Dallas,
he is averaged twelve and a half points per game.
That is the best scoring average he's had against any
team in his NBA career. So I'm looking at this
matchup with Dallas. He should be a motivated participant in it,
and we'll see what Grant Williams can put on the board.
So that's why Grant Williams will be my player to watch.
Speaker 3 (25:43):
I like it. I think we've that's been kind of
a common theme here racing a Grant Wims facing Boston
last week, he had all the OKC guys facing their
former team. I don't think there's anything like mean spirited
about anything. I think it's just healthy competition. You're close
with those guys and you want to have those bragging
rights for as long as you need to until the
next time you play. So I think it's it's good.
I think it's brought out a lot of good competition
here in these final few gates, but I will go
(26:04):
with transitioning to Maverick to watch and right back again
with another guy facing his former team in PJ Washington.
A little bit of a slow start in Dallas for
PJ Washington first twenty one games, it was only averaging
ten and a half points. He was shooting under forty percent,
twenty seven percent from three point range, was still rebounding effectively.
He was averaging almost a steal in a block a
(26:26):
game as well. But over his last five, as you know,
the Mavericks have really gotten going here with this fourteen
and two stretch. Over the last month, he's found another gear.
Nineteen point four points, three and a half three pointers,
shooting forty seven percent behind the arc. They made a
little bit of a lineup change also when they started
this run on March seventh, and it really just kind
of flipped a switch. It was kind of crazy. Just
(26:46):
I think I was just reference it just for context.
They put Derek Jones Daniel Gafford into the starting lineup
for Derek Lively, and I want to say the other
one was maybe Josh Green, And it's really really helped them.
It's helped space the floor a little bit more and
it's really kind of led to Luca and Kyrie and
now PJ. Washington obviously, you know, having some big nights.
So just like we talked about Grant Williams, it's you're
(27:07):
always going to want to play well against your former team,
and you know PG Washington will be one to watch tonight.
Speaker 4 (27:11):
We'll be fun to see him back in the building
as well. So PJ.
Speaker 2 (27:14):
Washington solid pick. I'm gonna go with Kyrie Irving. We
think a lot about players who have something to prove
over the course of the entirety of the season, thinking
about guys like Jason Tatum or seeking a championship, guys
like Kevin Durant who maybe have pressure on them to
try and win one with a new organization rather than
the situation they were with before. Kyrie Irving isn't always
on that list, but I think he should be. He's
(27:36):
always been attached to Lebron James for the championship that
he did win, with maybe Lebron getting more credit that's
a deeper conversation, but nonetheless, Kyrie has been looking for
another opportunity to win one. It hasn't really happened. Right now,
He's playing like he wants to drive the Mavericks deep
into the playoffs and hopefully bring home another ring for himself.
(27:56):
He's averaged in the month of April four games, small
sample size, but still already one point eight points per game.
That is the best scoring month he has had all season.
And he's been a very high level scorer upper twenties
the majority of the season. So he's playing very, very
good basketball right now. Clearly, if you're going to slow
him down or slow the Mavericks down, I should say
he comes to the top of the list of guys
(28:16):
that you have to take care of. And oh, by
the way, in the previous head to head meeting against
the Charlotte Hornet, not his best game, but it was
a double double with eighteen points and ten assists. His
most recent game, however, might have been one of his
best games of the year. He had forty eight points
in an overtime win over at the Houston Rockets. Last
but not least, we need a stat.
Speaker 3 (28:37):
To watch, I'm going to go with clutch time. I
guess performance, and looking back on this home stand, I
think it's fair to say in the seven games the
Hornets have pretty much been in the fourth quarter, or
been in the game in the fourth quarter in about
five of them, maybe not the Golden State game and
maybe not necessarily the Boston game, but it felt like
they were within striking distance in that fourth quarter. And
(28:58):
you know the last three Portland or and Oklahoma City,
you know they had a real chance to win those
Portland Oklahoma City games. So we saw what happened against
the Thunder. It was the turnovers, it was the offensive
rebounding at the end, just giving up too many extra
possessions and it kind of got them in the end.
But if they do get off to a good start
and they do find themselves in situation where it's back
and forth again in the fourth quarter, you cannot make
those mistakes. Entering the game tonight, Dallas has the best
(29:21):
win percentage in the NBA in clutch time games, so
again within five points, within five or fewer minutes to go.
They are twenty three and nine, tied with the Lakers
for the best record in the NBA in clutch time.
Their net rating and clutch time is third best twenty
point five, And just for reference, the Hornets are sixteenth
and clutch time net rating, But I don't think they've
actually done very well. They actually have the fourth worst
(29:43):
record in clutch time, so the metrics there are not
necessarily reflective of the record. But if you get off
to another good start, which is what they've been doing,
and you know, kind of sustain it a little bit,
and you know, go through those lineup breaks and get
to the fourth quarter, you know, Dallas is very good
isolation scoring with Luca and Kyrie, very very good and
excel in that area. So hopefully if you get to
that point, it's got to be cleaner than it was
(30:04):
on Sunday night.
Speaker 2 (30:05):
I like the stat my last one. I'm going to
look to something that maybe Dallas has not done very
well with. And keep in mind they're one of the
hotter teams in the NBA, winners of ten of their
last eleven, fourteen of the last sixteen, so they're playing
really good basketball, but they're not a very good offensive
rebounding team. In their last fifteen games, despite a thirteen
to two record, despite having an outstanding offense that is
(30:26):
easily top ten in the NBA, they have been an
abysmal offensive rebounding team, the second worst offensive rebounding percent
of any squad in the NBA. Now the Hornets of
the third worst offensive reading bounding percentage of any team
in the NBA. But this is something that kind of
played out the other day for Charlotte against Oklahoma City,
they had a chance to win the game. There were
several possessions late that head coach Steve Clifford referenced afterwards,
(30:48):
they said, hey, we got the stop, we just didn't
secure the basketball. And on the second look, Oka se
knockdown to two or three and really put the game
out of reach when it was all said and done.
So if you're gonna beat Dallas, an give them a
lot of extra looks. They have a lot of long
rebounds because they take a ton of threes, So prevent
them from getting a second shot on each possession. And
for Charlotte, this is something that Dallas isn't very good
(31:10):
and maybe it's something the Hornets can be stronger in
generate those extra looks at the bucket to hopefully get
them aw Here tonight on the final home game of
the twenty three to twenty four season. No matter how
it ends, you know we'll have it covered for you
here on the HC. Sam Purley will be back tomorrow
with Rob Longo with both a breakdown of tonight's game
against the Mavericks as well as a preview of tomorrow's
(31:31):
against the Atlanta Hawks as the Hornets begin their final
three game road trip of the twenty three to twenty
four season.
Speaker 3 (31:36):
I know I'm going on a little bit of a
run here with the back to back or the game preview,
the back to back, and then the road game after that.
So yeah, plenty of podcasts coming. Thank you for having me.
Speaker 4 (31:45):
We are thrilled to have you always.
Speaker 2 (31:46):
Thanks to Sam Pearley, Thanks to Rob Longo for putting
this podcast together. Most of all, thanks to all of
you for tuning in. For everybody here, I'm Sam Farber
saying it's been a pleasure and privilege having you along.
Speaker 4 (31:54):
We will talk to you next time. Right here, I'm
the Hornets. I'vecast.
Speaker 1 (31:58):
Thank you for listening to The Horns Podcast, brought to
you by Santa, the official i ere Nozen Throatcare provider
of the Charlotte Hornets. For more coverage, visit Hornets dot com.
Welcome to the Hornets Hoivecast, 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 iive Cast, your
Hornets podcast with all the notes, quote san daily buzz
around your favorite NBA team. I'm Sam Farber and it
is a pleasure and a privilege devy with us here
once again on the Hornets I've Cast brought to you
by Santa Charlotte I hear Nosen Throat Associates, the official
I hear Nosen throwcare provider of the Charlotte Hornets. It's
the final home game of the twenty three to twenty
(00:35):
four regular season. Hornets will host the Dallas Mavericks. We
love a game preview for this one. Also want to
talk about some of the milestones and or Hornets record
list that the Hornet players current are targeting, either in
this final game at home at Spectrum Center tonight or
over the course of the final four games the regular season.
Will give you the details on those and we're going
(00:57):
to look back at the most productive reman lineup for
the Charlotte Hornets on this season. I wasn't on the
floor for very long, as you might imagine, because there
were so many injuries for the team, But there was
one group with a certain baseline of minutes played that
at a better run than any other. We'll try and
extrapolate from there as to what they might be able
to achieve in seasons to come. Helping me on all
(01:18):
these topics, he is one of our favorite senior writer
on Hornets dot Com. The great Sam Parley back for
another two SAMs edition of the AHHC. Actually it's our
last two SAMs edition of the HC at least in
person in studio for this twenty three twenty four season.
Speaker 3 (01:32):
Yes, I was gonna you've snuck it in there at
the end, just in the regular season. There'll be hopefully
more to come. This isn't the end of our time together.
I guess doing these until the start of next season.
But yeah, last home game coming up and then regame
road trip, and then it'll be into the off season
just like that.
Speaker 2 (01:48):
Yeah, I don't know how many days or weeks or
months we're going to get to take off here as
we get ready to prepare for seasons to come, but
this is our last one in terms of game preview episodes,
at least in person. We'll find out in any case,
Sam Perli, always good to have you here. Let's start
off talking about some of the things we're watching for
in these final few games. And I'm a big fan
(02:09):
of this. I'm a big believer. It's part of our
jobs as people who cover the team, you with a
written word me talking on the radio, is that there's
always something to watch for. There's no such thing as
a meaningless game or a meaningless moment in an NBA
or really any kind of pro or high level college
sporting contest. And so you know, I always like to
take these into account. Who's getting close to certain records, milestones, whatnot.
(02:33):
There are two players in particular that I have circled.
I know you've circled some as well. So I'll give
you my list. You tell me yay or nay?
Speaker 4 (02:41):
Will this horn? It's player reached this milestone or mile marker.
Sound good?
Speaker 3 (02:45):
Sounds good?
Speaker 2 (02:46):
All right, We're going to start off with one of
the obvious ones. Brandon Miller. This is something we have
been computing. I've been doing it since you let me
know about it. But now I'm really knee deep into it.
Brandon Miller one hundred and seventy four made threes going
into the final four games of the fifth most by
a rookie in NBA history. He's passed some huge names
Steph Curry, Luka Dancic, just to name a couple. He
(03:08):
is now one three back of Sadiq Bay for fourth.
I think the assumption is he's going to get there.
How about this, though, he needs eleven to catch up
to Dame Lillard for the third most in a single
season in NBA history for a rookie and thirteen to
catch Donovan Mitchell for second. Will he catch either of
those two leading players in the NBA landscape?
Speaker 3 (03:30):
So he needs he needs fourteen to get into second
over the final four games. So that's about three a
little over three a game. I will say yes, because
I think he's gonna have He'll have like a five
or six three pointer game over here in these final four,
and I think he can kind of go the two
or three in the other four after that. So I'll
say Brandon Miller finishes with one hundred and eighty eight
(03:52):
three pointers.
Speaker 4 (03:53):
I love it now. Just a little add on for this.
Speaker 2 (03:55):
By the way, the record for threes in a rookie
season is Keegan Murray. He's more than three back of that.
That seems very unlikely, but I would love to be
able to update that one couple of podcasts from now, say, hey,
he's targeting this. If he gets hot, he'll also reach
this mile marker. But a little addendum to the previous question.
He is only seventeen made threes away from having one
(04:16):
of the ten best singles season three point shooting campaigns
in Hornet's franchise history. Kelly Ubre holds the ten spot.
He made one hundred and ninety one threes in seventy
six games during the twenty one to twenty two season. Miller,
if he maxes out, he plays every game, he'll play
in seventy five total games, so one less than Ubre
did that season. He needs seventeen. So you think he
(04:37):
can get the thirteen needed or fourteen? I guess you
put it to hold second all on his own? Does
he have enough in the tank to shoot and make
seventeen threes in these final four games he.
Speaker 3 (04:48):
Gets the seventeen, he's gonna need like two games now,
with at least like five threes or something like that
to get to ten, and then he can have kind
of his normal three ish three to four the rest
of the game. So that one just feels like I
think fourteen is still he's gonna have to play really
well over the final four games and really hit some shots.
Seventeen feels achievable, but that's also that's a lot of
(05:09):
threes in four games too. So I will say, you
know what, why not let's have fun this final week.
I'll be let's see if he can get to it.
Let's go seventeen threes and he gets to I'll bump
my answer from my last one. I'll say one ninety
two is what he finishes with my last Kelly Ubre
for tenth.
Speaker 4 (05:25):
I love it.
Speaker 2 (05:25):
I love the additional confidence there with that other target
to shoot for a couple ones that are easy.
Speaker 4 (05:30):
I think he will do these, or these players will
do these.
Speaker 2 (05:33):
Brandon Miller currently forty five points away from moving into
third in Hornets franchise history for total points in a
rookie season. He trails Rex Chapman in that category. If
he's making all these threes, he's gonna get that one.
So that one seems like it's a pretty good target.
Unlikely he'll move any further because he's three hundred points
back of Larry Johnson for a second and almost four
(05:53):
hundred behind Alonzo Morning for the most by a Hornet's
rookie in their rookie season. That just doesn't seem possible.
With four games left to go, If he scores one
hundred a night, Will Chamber will hold up the sign
every day. That would be very entertainment. Doesn't seem likely,
but moving into the top three does. Another one that
seems likely. Miles Bridges is thirteen points away from moving
(06:13):
into eighth in franchise history in career scoring. Raymond Felton
currently occupies that spot five three hundred eleven points. That
will likely fall tonight. Miles Bridges will elevate into the
eighth spot. But the last one I had circled here,
Sam Purley, as a question for you, will Miles Bridges
and the season leading the league in minutes per game,
(06:33):
He's right now somewhere in the neighborhood of ten to
fifteen seconds per game ahead of DeMar Derosion, who is
second in the NBA. Miles Bridges in this era, this
is one of the more impressive minutes per game runs
anyone has had. If you compare it to ten, fifteen,
twenty years ago, it wouldn't even be close to number one,
but right now it is, and so being one of
(06:54):
the NBA's iron man's I think is significant in any era.
He'd be the third player in franchise history to do it.
Anthony Mason led the league in minutes per game in
the ninety six to ninety seven season, Larry Johnson did
it in ninety two ninety three. Question for you, Sam Peerle,
does Miles Bridges end the season leading the league in
minutes per game?
Speaker 3 (07:12):
I think he does. And I'm looking at the guys
below him, like you said, tomar Dero's and Tyres Maxi,
Luka Doncic and then Kevin Durant all thirty seven plus,
and it just feels like I haven't looked at the standings.
But all those teams will be playing in some sort
of playoff or play in or postseason game that maybe
they kind of pull it back a little bit over
this final week or rain in the minutes with more
(07:33):
games to come, but they also could push it a
little bit if they need to win some of these
games over this final week, but I will say yes,
Miles will continue to or will finish the season as
the NBA's minutes later.
Speaker 2 (07:44):
I think that one's likely too. For a slightly different reason.
You talked about them maybe needing to go all out
to win a game. I think it's more likely that
they scaled back at least one game. All those other
guys Deroz and Maxi, Doncic, Durant, they're all the ones
who are kind of within striking distance within a min
in it per game, let's say, so, it seems likely
all those guys will at some point have a tune
(08:05):
up game where they play roughly the first half, maybe
three quarters, and then shut it down and don't play
their full allotment of mints, which would hurt their minute
per game average, whereas Miles Bridges has no reason to
do that, and if he is in fact, or the
team is in fact targeting this milestone, then they'll make
sure that if he's going to shut it down, he
doesn't play in the game entirely, and if he's going
to play in the game, he plays his normal allotment
(08:28):
of mints.
Speaker 4 (08:28):
So that's my prediction there.
Speaker 2 (08:29):
I gave you time to survey the field see if
there was any milestones that I'm not aware of that
I can now steal and use in my broadcast.
Speaker 4 (08:35):
Anything catch your.
Speaker 3 (08:36):
Eye, Yes, I have one or two things, and real
quick on Brandon Miller, trying to see if he's had
any stretches this season or what would be his best,
like four game stretch with in terms of three pointers,
and it looks like just very recently, starting with the
at the beginning of the home stand, he had. Trying
to do the math, we had seventeen threes in the
first four games of the homestand the Cleveland Golden State
(08:57):
Clippers in Boston, one of those being the seven to
three pointer game against Cleveland to open it up, So
certainly is possible, and it was possible obviously, just did
it very recently. So the milestones that I had, the
one I'm going to start with is also Miles Bridge
is related needs one hundred and eleven points total over
the final four games to record the tenth highest single
(09:21):
season scoring average in team history. I think I got
the math right on this. If I didn't, I'm off
a couple of decimal spots or moving this over there
it would put him at twenty one points seven points
per game. Right now, he's at twenty one point three,
and tenth place is Glenn Rice at twenty one point six.
I think he did that in the ninety five ninety
six season, but that would move Miles firmly pasted him
(09:44):
at twenty one point seven, Jason Richardson twenty one point eight,
and then so on so forth. So one hundred and
eleven points over the final four games. Can he do it?
Speaker 4 (09:52):
I think he can. I think it's a little aggressive.
Speaker 2 (09:54):
He's had some up and down stretches here over the
last couple of weeks, but he's one of the primary
scores for the team. You will get the number of
field goal attempts to get there, and who knows what
kind of competition he's going to face on a nightly basis,
given what teams are shooting for or maybe are resting
for in their final four games in terms of opponents.
Speaker 4 (10:11):
So I'll say yeah, I'll say he gets there.
Speaker 3 (10:13):
Yeah, I would say yes as well. But this last week,
like I mentioned, it's so weird because you just don't know.
The tone is so different. You got a lot of
teams like really really playing for stuff. You got some
teams doing evaluation stuff, so it's hard to get a
real kind of read on some of these things. It's
like you really don't know, But that's what kind of
makes it fun. It's going to be a fun week
in the NBA, obviously. You know, we wish the Hornets
(10:35):
were gearing up for it for playoff games, but hopefully
they can continue to play spoiler a little bit and
shake things up like they've done did recently against Orlando.
But I will say yes on miles, although I think
you have to average maybe like twenty seven ish twenty eight,
I think I got that right to almost twenty eight
points per game. Yes, So that's really all I have
(10:56):
for milestones. You did a really good job of kind
of rob rulesing. Mind going to do the Kelly Uber
one and the Brandon Miller three's one obviously, but that's
where I'm at.
Speaker 2 (11:04):
Yeah, well, we got some targets for these guys to
shoot for, and we'll see how many of these milestones
they can achieve. Will of course be tracking them all
here on the Hornets sive cast as well as during
the game call.
Speaker 4 (11:14):
If you're listening to me on the Hornets Radio Network.
Speaker 2 (11:17):
Coming up next, Those were some players who've had outstanding
seasons playing the bulk of the campaign. There are a
couple obvious answers to who really had some great individual
games but didn't necessarily stay on the floor very long.
And yet they are trios that were looking forward to
seeing hopefully for longer stretches in the years to come.
We'll tell you why next Here on the Hornet Side Cast,
(11:42):
Sam Farbar and Sam Purley here with you on the
HC The Hornets Side Cast, brought to you by SENTA.
Last home game of the season tonight, Hornet's hosting the
Dallas Mavericks, Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving and Company in town.
Tickets are available at Hornets dot com. In the first
five thousand through the door, get a very nice summer
vibes straw hat type of thing. It's got the big
(12:02):
wide circle brim Hornets logo right on top, perfect for
summertime by the beach or out of the ball field
wherever you might be hanging out over the course of
this summer time. In anticipation of the twenty four to
twenty five campaign which will be here before we know it,
but definitely would love to see it Spectrum Center tonight,
last chance to see the Hornets here on this twenty
three to twenty four campaign. Unfortunately, as we know all
(12:24):
too well Sam Purley, this is yet another season that
has been marked by injury and absence. But there are
some really strong reasons for confidence for the future when
it comes to the core. One of them is looking
around the league and teams that have made a significant
jump from outside of the postseason for multiple years now
to not just in the playoffs, but a top four seed.
Sacramento did it two seasons ago. There solidly in the
(12:45):
playoff picture. Right now, they'll make at least the play
in tournament and we'll see what happens in their final
four games. Then you've got teams like Orlando, teams like
Oklahoma City who have been.
Speaker 4 (12:55):
Lottery bound year after year after year.
Speaker 2 (12:57):
They get this young core together, finally get them all healthy,
and voila seemingly like magic, they end up a top
four seat. Charlotte could certainly be that if they can
get healthy. Brandon Miller is a strong building block. LaMelo Ball,
the former Rookie of the Year and a former All Star.
If he can stay healthy, he might be one of
the top twenty players in the NBA, and then you've
got a really strong center prospect in Mark Williams. Then
(13:20):
everyone is really high on It's all about having them
together on the court. But I wanted to try and
put in context here just how good that trio is.
And I know I'm reaching a little because Sam Perli,
you're an expert on all things NBA. Roughly, how many
minutes would you say are played in an average NBA
season and no cheating and doing the map here, just
you know, give me a ballpark.
Speaker 3 (13:38):
Is this for like one single player.
Speaker 2 (13:40):
One single play, Like how many minutes could if you
played every minute of every game in an NBA season?
Speaker 4 (13:45):
Roughly where a ginned up.
Speaker 3 (13:46):
Never really thought about it. I think if you played
every minute in every every game and didn't miss a
single one. Trying to do the math in my head,
like thirty three thirty four hundred something like that.
Speaker 2 (13:54):
A little closer to four thousand, bit it's up there.
So it's up there. I looked for combos that played
at least one hundred minutes in the course of the season,
so we're looking like two three four percent of the
total minutes.
Speaker 4 (14:08):
It's a very small sample size.
Speaker 2 (14:10):
Obviously for your core players, you'd like to see him
playing I don't know, fifty percent of the minutes or
at least more than that out there on the floor.
But if you're looking at the core being LaMelo Ball,
Mark Williams, Brandon Miller, they played at combined one hundred
and fifty three minutes together, roughly four percent of the
vote what will be available come seasons end. They're net
rating together plus five point four one to fourteen point
(14:31):
nine on offense, one h nine point five on defense,
and so the net comes out to five point four.
Why is that significant? That's the best net rating of
any three player combo for the Hornets that played at
least one hundred minutes together, where all three players are
still on the rosters. So if you're looking for evidence
that the core can work, that is a pretty good
(14:52):
sign that that trio will play well together.
Speaker 4 (14:55):
And keep in mind, this was very early in the season.
Speaker 2 (14:57):
Brandon Miller really hadn't established himself just yet as not
just a good rookie, but a really strong overall player
in the NBA. Now you know what these ratings and
how they're computated a little bit better than I do.
But am I barking up the right tree here to
say that that is a pretty good breadcrumb to future
success here for the Hornets.
Speaker 3 (15:16):
Absolutely, And I want to say, I think you mentioned
it's the one hundred and fifty three minutes over the
twelve total games, with the last one, I believe being
the November twenty six game in Orlando where LaMelo sprained
his ankle and then by the time he came back,
Mark was out, so never really got to see it again.
But I kind of filtered it a little bit differently.
I looked at just their sixty four different combinations of
(15:37):
three man lineups that the Hornets have run out this season,
and I used one hundred and fifty minutes and included
guys that still weren't on the team. So yeah, I
still got number one five point four. It was one
of only three positive ones, the others being Gordon Hayward,
Mark Williams, and Brandon Miller, and then Gordon Hayward, LaMelo
Ball and Brandon Miller. And it also finished with.
Speaker 2 (15:55):
The is that sorry, say I'm interesting real quick that
Brandon Miller is in all three?
Speaker 3 (16:00):
Oh yeah, yeah, that's the common thread there. So it's
definitely a really encouraging sign. I know, it's not a
huge sample size and you'd have to go really really
deep into you know, if you look at like elite
trios in the NBA with like, what's a just out
of perspective, we don't have it on here, but maybe
we can circle back later on downline, what's a Durrant
Beal and Booker? Like with the minutes they play together,
(16:21):
what's their net rating? So one hundred and fifty three
minutes isn't a ton of time, just kind of looking
Also on the Hornet's rankings for that they were ninth.
That's the ninth best offensive rating out of the sixty
four three man lineups with one hundred and fifty minutes.
They were second in defense, and they also had the
best rebounding percentage as well with those three. So it
is encouraging and it also makes you feel a little
I guess it's a bittersweet.
Speaker 4 (16:42):
Yeah, yeah, a little bit.
Speaker 3 (16:43):
It's bittersweet because it's like, Okay, it's really encouraging and
it's it's a good sign for things for the future.
But also it's hard not to finish a season like this,
and finish a season like last year and not look
back and just say, man, we just never got to
see this team. I mean, the first half in Orlando
is the only time you ever got to see this
team as whole as it could possibly be. I think
(17:04):
that's kind of the toughest thing is you do feel
you know, you said it's you kind of feel cheated
in a way because it just never really got a
fair shake at at this thing because of you know,
some bad luck and things outside of your control.
Speaker 2 (17:16):
Just for a little added context here, how good is
a one oh five point four over or sorry, a
five point four plus five point four net rating? Well,
if you were looking at teams, the fourth best net
rating in the NBA this year right now is the
Denver Nuggets. They're sitting at five point two, so you're
talking about a top five overall team offensive rating. Again,
for that Trio, it was one fourteen point nine compared
(17:37):
to the NBA. That's roughly middle of the pack. That's
a kind of an average NBA team, So it wasn't
exactly eye popping offense.
Speaker 4 (17:44):
Defensively, it was one oh nine point five. That is
very good.
Speaker 2 (17:47):
That would be actually a top two finish only team
with a better defensive rating this season the Minnesota Timberwolves
one oh seven point seven, So kind of a Steve
Clifford designed trio as it turns out, with LaMelo and
Brandon in that they had an excellent defensive rating, average offense,
and that nets out a really good overall group that
(18:08):
if you expanded it over the course of the entire season,
playing closer to two thousand minutes rather than under two hundred,
maybe you've got the makings of a really high quality squad.
A couple other comparison notes, looking at the best offensive
rating for any three man group that's still on the
Charlotte Hornets that played at least one hundred minutes, I
came up with Miles Bridges, Mark Williams, and Brandon Miller.
(18:29):
Their offensive rating was one point fifteen point four in
one hundred and eighteen minutes. So again it's a small
sample size and not too much better than that first
trio I talked about LaMelo, Mark and Miller, but it
is slightly better. And then for defensive rating, the best
trio that played for Charlotte this year at least one
hundred minutes that's still all on the team. Nick Richards
(18:50):
Grant Williams and Trey Mann. One hundred and forty minutes there.
Net rating was minus two point two. Not very good offensively,
but defensively would have rated the best in the NBA,
even better than that Minnesota team. So just a few
names out there, this is not you know, hard and fast.
This group has to be on the floor all the time. Clearly,
we would love to see LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, Mark Williams,
(19:11):
They've been talked about all season long as the core
for the squad. But some of those other names that
trickle in there, Miles Bridges, Grant Williams, Nick Richards, Trey
Man further evidence that it's not just their individual stats
that shine brightly, but collectively they play well as a group.
Speaker 3 (19:24):
Yeah, and that's what a lot of this point of
the season is. And the Hornets are kind of in
a unique situation where they had so many new guys
come in at the trade deadline and then also counting
Alexei Pokashevsky, who they signed a little bit after that.
But that's a big part of the evaluation process right now.
And I think last year was the late season evaluation
process was more geared towards you know, kind of seeing
some of the younger guys and getting them. It's about
(19:44):
seeing different combinations and seeing what you have right now.
And I think that's a lot of what the focus
has been lately as you're rolling out really these lineups
right now to win these games, and you're winning some
of them, you right there in that Oklahoma City game,
but you're looking to get a big and sample size
so you can go into the offseason and say, hey,
we've got four hundred minutes together with you know, Vassili
(20:05):
Michicic and Trey Mann playing together, or this three man
lineup of Grant Williams, Miles Bridges and Dovist Burton's like,
there still is a lot of you know, it's almost
like they kind of got a new assignment in the
middle of the year, as opposed to last year when
there wasn't really as much shuffling mid season. This year
there really was. So that's what I think they've used
a lot of these last two months and handful of
(20:26):
games is you've got a lot to work with right now.
It's just kind of figuring out how it's going to
best help you moving forward and kind of building a
big enough sample size you can really extract some stuff
from going into the draft and going into free agency,
and real quick, just because I mentioned it in the
last answer, out of curiosity, I quickly looked up the
net rating for Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal
(20:48):
this season. That's just the big three that came to mind.
In thirty seven games this season, seven hundred and fifty
five minutes, their net rating is six point two with
a one twenty five offensive rating, which is about two
and a half points ahead of the Hornets. What of
the three we've been talking about, and the defense is
four points behind or five points behind the Hornets defense
trio that we've been talking about in the net rating
(21:10):
is about zero point eight points better net rating wise,
So a ton of different factors, but it gives a
little bit of Fredens at a five point four net
rating is definitely something to work.
Speaker 4 (21:20):
With beigause number.
Speaker 2 (21:21):
This stands out from that one as they played seven
hundred plus minutes together, which net group had injuries as well.
Hornets fifth at this current stage of that trios. Hopefully
Hornets are closer to that one. Hopefully they're well passed
it next year. But a little bit of further evidence
that the core might already be in store here for
the Charlotte Hornets. All right, one more game at home
at Spectrum Center, to pull some more data from me.
(21:42):
It's against the Dallas Mavericks. It's tonight. Tickets are available
at Hornets dot com. We'll have our game preview next
here on the Hornets Ivecast. Sam Farber, Sam Purley here
with you on the HHC, brought to you by CENTA.
Hornet's getting ready to take on the Dallas Mavericks. Tickets
are available at Hornets dot Dallas one of the hottest
teams in the NBA.
Speaker 4 (22:02):
They're forty eight and thirty overall.
Speaker 2 (22:03):
They've won three in a row, ten of their last eleven,
fourteen of their last sixteen. That said, it's a little
unclear how much they really have to play for right now.
They're a bit more solidified than most teams in the
playoff bracket. They are two games back of La Clippers
for fourth. They're two games up on the Suns and
Pelicans for fifth place. So it's pretty unlikely they're going
(22:28):
to catch the Clippers, and it's pretty unlikely they're going
to be caught. That said, A win for them, maybe
put some pressure on the Clippers at least keeps the
pressure off them to avoid the Suns and the Pelicans
in the final then three games of the season, so
they still have something to play for. We've got a
former Maverick on the Hornets now, and there is a
former Hornet on the MAVs as well, So a little
(22:49):
extra wrinkle here to this one as we get set
for it here on the AHHC Sam Perli, we need
players for both sides as well as a stat to watch.
Speaker 4 (22:56):
Where would you like to begin?
Speaker 3 (22:57):
Don't forget Davis Berton's also former Maverick. I will go
with Hornet to watch, and I'm going to go with
Miles Bridges. We talked a little bit about some of
the numbers he's been chasing, both minutes and scoring wise.
Sat out I think the Portland game last week, and
since he's come back, the shooting has been kind of
a little spotty from three point range. He's only shooting
twenty three percent from three over his past two games,
but still averaging nineteen points, seven and a half rebounds.
(23:20):
Really like what I've seen from a playmaking perspective for Miles.
He's had averaging three and a half assists. He had
an eight assist game against Boston last week. He seems
to be doing a really good job of kind of
filling in the gaps a little bit, especially from that
playmaking standpoint. Grant Williams doing the same thing as well,
helping out on the boards, tacking the basket, you know,
going for those layups and putting pressure on the rim.
(23:41):
It's a three point shooting a little bit. Again, I
think it's kind of been an on and off issue
this season, not necessarily maybe just settling a little bit
sometimes for shots or things like that. So I think
the more Miles can kind of just put pressure on
the rim, it just helps the Hornets offense so much
more because help defense comes, you can kick it out
and it's just an araa. He's so good at So
I'm gonna look at Miles. I think he's, you know,
really looking to finish the season strong, and obviously I
(24:04):
think twenty points twenty five points is certainly within the
realm of possibilities with this last four games.
Speaker 4 (24:09):
I like it.
Speaker 2 (24:10):
I'll be honest, I had other ideas walking into the studio,
but I'm gonna just do a pivot here, I'm gonna
go with Grant Williams. I'm going with the former Maverick
in this one. A couple of reasons.
Speaker 4 (24:19):
Why.
Speaker 2 (24:20):
One, It's just a nice storyline. He was obviously traded
from Dallas to Charlotte, signed with Dallas.
Speaker 4 (24:25):
Or was traded.
Speaker 2 (24:26):
Really he was done, he re signed with Boston and
was traded to Dallas. But the long and the short
of is he chose to go to Dallas and then
they facilitated the trade to make everything work financially for
both teams under the salary cap.
Speaker 4 (24:38):
But that's neither here nor there.
Speaker 2 (24:39):
There is ample reason for Grant Williams to be motivated
for this one. Now if you look in the course
of Grant Williams's career, actually the worst team he plays
against has been Dallas. He's only played against them eight times. Obviously,
he was with Boston, so cross conference matchups don't happen
very often. He only shot eleven percent from three, thirty
one percent from the floor three point one points per
(25:02):
game against the Mavericks in those eight games. All of
those are the worst he's average against any team in
the NBA, but he does do well in revenge games.
The only the only potential ones you could point to
before are against Boston, and that's less of a revenge game.
He made the choice, but you know, still one where
there's a clear connection. When he took on Boston the
(25:23):
two times this year, once with Charlotte, once with Dallas,
he is averaged twelve and a half points per game.
That is the best scoring average he's had against any
team in his NBA career. So I'm looking at this
matchup with Dallas. He should be a motivated participant in it,
and we'll see what Grant Williams can put on the board.
So that's why Grant Williams will be my player to watch.
Speaker 3 (25:43):
I like it. I think we've that's been kind of
a common theme here racing a Grant Wims facing Boston
last week, he had all the OKC guys facing their
former team. I don't think there's anything like mean spirited
about anything. I think it's just healthy competition. You're close
with those guys and you want to have those bragging
rights for as long as you need to until the
next time you play. So I think it's it's good.
I think it's brought out a lot of good competition
here in these final few gates, but I will go
(26:04):
with transitioning to Maverick to watch and right back again
with another guy facing his former team in PJ Washington.
A little bit of a slow start in Dallas for
PJ Washington first twenty one games, it was only averaging
ten and a half points. He was shooting under forty percent,
twenty seven percent from three point range, was still rebounding effectively.
He was averaging almost a steal in a block a
(26:26):
game as well. But over his last five, as you know,
the Mavericks have really gotten going here with this fourteen
and two stretch. Over the last month, he's found another gear.
Nineteen point four points, three and a half three pointers,
shooting forty seven percent behind the arc. They made a
little bit of a lineup change also when they started
this run on March seventh, and it really just kind
of flipped a switch. It was kind of crazy. Just
(26:46):
I think I was just reference it just for context.
They put Derek Jones Daniel Gafford into the starting lineup
for Derek Lively, and I want to say the other
one was maybe Josh Green, And it's really really helped them.
It's helped space the floor a little bit more and
it's really kind of led to Luca and Kyrie and
now PJ. Washington obviously, you know, having some big nights.
So just like we talked about Grant Williams, it's you're
(27:07):
always going to want to play well against your former team,
and you know PG Washington will be one to watch tonight.
Speaker 4 (27:11):
We'll be fun to see him back in the building
as well. So PJ.
Speaker 2 (27:14):
Washington solid pick. I'm gonna go with Kyrie Irving. We
think a lot about players who have something to prove
over the course of the entirety of the season, thinking
about guys like Jason Tatum or seeking a championship, guys
like Kevin Durant who maybe have pressure on them to
try and win one with a new organization rather than
the situation they were with before. Kyrie Irving isn't always
on that list, but I think he should be. He's
(27:36):
always been attached to Lebron James for the championship that
he did win, with maybe Lebron getting more credit that's
a deeper conversation, but nonetheless, Kyrie has been looking for
another opportunity to win one. It hasn't really happened. Right now,
He's playing like he wants to drive the Mavericks deep
into the playoffs and hopefully bring home another ring for himself.
(27:56):
He's averaged in the month of April four games, small
sample size, but still already one point eight points per game.
That is the best scoring month he has had all season.
And he's been a very high level scorer upper twenties
the majority of the season. So he's playing very, very
good basketball right now. Clearly, if you're going to slow
him down or slow the Mavericks down, I should say
he comes to the top of the list of guys
(28:16):
that you have to take care of. And oh, by
the way, in the previous head to head meeting against
the Charlotte Hornet, not his best game, but it was
a double double with eighteen points and ten assists. His
most recent game, however, might have been one of his
best games of the year. He had forty eight points
in an overtime win over at the Houston Rockets. Last
but not least, we need a stat.
Speaker 3 (28:37):
To watch, I'm going to go with clutch time. I
guess performance, and looking back on this home stand, I
think it's fair to say in the seven games the
Hornets have pretty much been in the fourth quarter, or
been in the game in the fourth quarter in about
five of them, maybe not the Golden State game and
maybe not necessarily the Boston game, but it felt like
they were within striking distance in that fourth quarter. And
(28:58):
you know the last three Portland or and Oklahoma City,
you know they had a real chance to win those
Portland Oklahoma City games. So we saw what happened against
the Thunder. It was the turnovers, it was the offensive
rebounding at the end, just giving up too many extra
possessions and it kind of got them in the end.
But if they do get off to a good start
and they do find themselves in situation where it's back
and forth again in the fourth quarter, you cannot make
those mistakes. Entering the game tonight, Dallas has the best
(29:21):
win percentage in the NBA in clutch time games, so
again within five points, within five or fewer minutes to go.
They are twenty three and nine, tied with the Lakers
for the best record in the NBA in clutch time.
Their net rating and clutch time is third best twenty
point five, And just for reference, the Hornets are sixteenth
and clutch time net rating, But I don't think they've
actually done very well. They actually have the fourth worst
(29:43):
record in clutch time, so the metrics there are not
necessarily reflective of the record. But if you get off
to another good start, which is what they've been doing,
and you know, kind of sustain it a little bit,
and you know, go through those lineup breaks and get
to the fourth quarter, you know, Dallas is very good
isolation scoring with Luca and Kyrie, very very good and
excel in that area. So hopefully if you get to
that point, it's got to be cleaner than it was
(30:04):
on Sunday night.
Speaker 2 (30:05):
I like the stat my last one. I'm going to
look to something that maybe Dallas has not done very
well with. And keep in mind they're one of the
hotter teams in the NBA, winners of ten of their
last eleven, fourteen of the last sixteen, so they're playing
really good basketball, but they're not a very good offensive
rebounding team. In their last fifteen games, despite a thirteen
to two record, despite having an outstanding offense that is
(30:26):
easily top ten in the NBA, they have been an
abysmal offensive rebounding team, the second worst offensive rebounding percent
of any squad in the NBA. Now the Hornets of
the third worst offensive reading bounding percentage of any team
in the NBA. But this is something that kind of
played out the other day for Charlotte against Oklahoma City,
they had a chance to win the game. There were
several possessions late that head coach Steve Clifford referenced afterwards,
(30:48):
they said, hey, we got the stop, we just didn't
secure the basketball. And on the second look, Oka se
knockdown to two or three and really put the game
out of reach when it was all said and done.
So if you're gonna beat Dallas, an give them a
lot of extra looks. They have a lot of long
rebounds because they take a ton of threes, So prevent
them from getting a second shot on each possession. And
for Charlotte, this is something that Dallas isn't very good
(31:10):
and maybe it's something the Hornets can be stronger in
generate those extra looks at the bucket to hopefully get
them aw Here tonight on the final home game of
the twenty three to twenty four season. No matter how
it ends, you know we'll have it covered for you
here on the HC. Sam Purley will be back tomorrow
with Rob Longo with both a breakdown of tonight's game
against the Mavericks as well as a preview of tomorrow's
(31:31):
against the Atlanta Hawks as the Hornets begin their final
three game road trip of the twenty three to twenty
four season.
Speaker 3 (31:36):
I know I'm going on a little bit of a
run here with the back to back or the game preview,
the back to back, and then the road game after that.
So yeah, plenty of podcasts coming. Thank you for having me.
Speaker 4 (31:45):
We are thrilled to have you always.
Speaker 2 (31:46):
Thanks to Sam Pearley, Thanks to Rob Longo for putting
this podcast together. Most of all, thanks to all of
you for tuning in. For everybody here, I'm Sam Farber
saying it's been a pleasure and privilege having you along.
Speaker 4 (31:54):
We will talk to you next time. Right here, I'm
the Hornets. I'vecast.
Speaker 1 (31:58):
Thank you for listening to The Horns Podcast, brought to
you by Santa, the official i ere Nozen Throatcare provider
of the Charlotte Hornets. For more coverage, visit Hornets dot com.
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