There were bright spots for the Hornets on Wednesday night against Boston, but the turnover problem hung over everything. Charlotte gave it away 30 times, and those mistakes turned directly into 27 points for the Celtics.
After the game, head coach Charles Lee didn’t spend much time dancing around that issue. He praised the defensive effort and the way the Hornets executed parts of the game plan, but he was just as clear about the cost of those giveaways.
“That’s great effort. I think that’s great attention to detail.
We talked about it before the game. This is one of the best offensive rebounding teams.
They are really relentless, and I thought our guys had really good carryover from a point of the game plan that we talked about. I wish we had not have given them the ball 30 times on the flip side.”
Lee also pointed to the value one of his players brings on both ends of the floor, especially when he’s moving with purpose and affecting the game beyond scoring.
“I think we get to see that when he steps on the court, he has a great two-way mindset. We feel his impact defensively, and then offensively, he can just score in a bunch of different ways.
He play makes in a bunch of ways. He’s really vital to our pace.
I think that when he’s out and running, guys are looking for him. They trust him with the pass.
He opens up a ton of things for us offensively.”
The Hornets’ coach said the bigger issue remains consistency, with Charlotte showing flashes but not enough sustained play over the full night.
“Would love to be able to bounce back with a more consistent effort for four quarters. I thought that we had a couple of really good stretches.
I thought those middle two quarters were pretty good, but the first and the fourth just really weren’t to our standards. I think our guys feel it.
I don’t want us to be a team that’s trying to turn it on and off. I just want us to be always on and trying to build winning habits.”
Lee finished by highlighting the pressure the same player puts on opponents defensively and the structure he provides offensively, along with the poise that comes from having already been through big games.
“Defensively, he’s picking up guys full-court. I think he’s really impacting the other team’s ability to get into their offense.
Sometimes they’re really having to get into their clock, or they’re running offense from halfcourt. I think offensively, he does a great job of getting us set, putting us in the right positions, getting a piece of the paint.
He’s been in playoff situations. He’s been in hostile environments.
He’s very comfortable and secure in who he is and understands what’s needed of you on every possession.”
In Other News...
Coby White Just Added Pressure To The Hornets New Direction
Coby Whites place in the Hornets next chapter got a little more visible this week when Bleacher Report slotted the guard at No. 92 on its top-99 NBA players list. It is the kind of ranking that does not change a roster, but it does sharpen the discussion around where Charlotte stands after reshuffling its backcourt and deciding to move forward without LaMelo Ball.
White arrived in Charlotte in a trade last season and then signed a three-year deal to stay, giving the Hornets some continuity as they push into a new direction. Now he is expected to handle the starting point guard job, which makes his standing around the league more than just a talking point. For Charlotte, the question is no longer whether White fits the plan. It is how much responsibility he can carry in it. [Read more 🡒]
Christian Anderson Jr. Showed Hornets Fans Exactly Why He Matters
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The Hornets were already thin in the backcourt with two other guards out, so Andersons return came with a little extra weight attached. He had said he wanted to help on both offense and defense, and even in a preseason loss, the early evidence pointed in that direction. For a team trying to sort out its guard rotation, his ability to provide scoring, pressure and activity on the other end is the kind of detail worth watching closely. [Read more 🡒]
Charles Lee Is Already Pushing Sion James In One Crucial Area
Sion James wasted no time making an impression in his first preseason action for Charlotte, coming off the bench in the Hornets 105-90 win over Milwaukee and showing the kind of quick-trigger confidence coach Charles Lee has been looking for. James finished with 11 points and four assists, and Lee pointed to his decision-making as a bright spot in a game where the Hornets moved the ball well and assisted on 29 of 39 baskets.
Lees next step for the rookie is more specific: getting him more comfortable running the offense when the play is called for him. Charlotte liked the overall connectivity it showed against the Bucks, but James role will hinge on whether he can keep that confidence while sharpening his command of the group in organized sets, especially as the preseason moves forward and the details get less forgiving. [Read more 🡒]