The Charlotte Hornets finally caught a break, and it came in two parts: a shocking win over the Cleveland Cavaliers and a promising update on Brandon Miller.
After Charlotte’s 3-7 start, the injury picture had been getting uglier by the day. Coby White came back from injury and struggled badly with his shot.
Naz Reid, by the source’s account, looked like he didn’t want to be in Charlotte. Kon Knueppel returned for six minutes before getting hurt again.
Then Miller went down too, leaving the Hornets looking short-handed and vulnerable heading into a matchup with Cleveland that many figured would get away from them fast.
Instead, Charlotte came out swinging. The Hornets built a 33-point cushion against the Cavaliers and, even after Cleveland trimmed the margin to eight with plenty of time left, held on for the win. It was the kind of result almost nobody saw coming.
The best part for Charlotte might have been what Charles Lee said afterward about Miller. Lee made it sound like the injury is not expected to keep the wing out for long.
“I don’t think this is gonna be something that takes a while. He’s already shown some progress since Friday night’s game...
I don’t think it’s gonna be a long term thing. We’ll keep evaluating him and every day he’s feeling a little bit better.”
Lee repeated the same basic message again, saying, “I don’t think this is gonna be something that takes a while. He’s already shown some progress since Friday night’s game...
I don’t think it’s gonna be a long-term thing. We’ll keep evaluating him, and every day he’s feeling a little bit better,”
That still won’t fully calm Hornets fans, who have already heard plenty of injury updates that sounded mild at first and then dragged on. Knueppel is the obvious example. But for now, Miller’s outlook appears much better than that one.
He’ll likely miss a few more games, but the Hornets do not seem to be bracing for a lengthy absence. They expect him back sooner than Knueppel.
Charlotte did look better without Miller on the floor in this one, but that doesn’t change the bigger picture. The Hornets need him back, both for what he brings right now and for what he still has to become. Through the first 10 games, he was still a work in progress as a potential franchise face and first-option scorer.
The Hornets are now 4-7 and trying to work their way back into the Eastern Conference Play-In race. Getting Miller back soon would go a long way toward making that possible.
In Other News...
Naz Reid Is Giving The Hornets Exactly What They Need
Naz Reid has settled into a much better rhythm for Charlotte since being benched by head coach Charles Lee, and the timing has mattered. Over his last six games, he has averaged 17.6 points while giving the Hornets a steadier scoring presence, something the team has needed with Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel still sidelined. His recent 25-point effort in a win over the Cleveland Cavaliers was another sign that he is becoming more comfortable carrying a bigger load.
Charles Lee also had reason to be encouraged by the way Reid impacted both ends of the floor in that victory, especially with Charlotte trying to piece together offense without several key pieces. The Hornets are leaning on him as a primary option for now, and the question is whether this stretch is simply a hot run or the beginning of a more permanent role in the rotation. [Read more 🡒]
Hornets Losing Streak Is Putting Charlottes Biggest Weakness On Display
The Hornets six-game skid has done more than pile up losses, it has put their thinnest area in plain view. With multiple rotation pieces sidelined, Charlotte has had a harder time generating offense and even harder time surviving the night-to-night grind that comes with injuries, especially when the lineup keeps changing around them.
Kon Knueppel and Dennis Schrder are both dealing with hamstring injuries, while Brandon Miller is out with a groin issue, leaving the Hornets short on scoring and depth at the same time. For a team already searching for stability, the next stretch will be about managing those absences and hoping the roster can hold together long enough to stop the slide. [Read more 🡒]
Hornets Suddenly Need These 3 Players To Keep The Season Afloat
Kon Knueppels latest setback leaves Charlotte trying to piece together its wing rotation again, and the timing could hardly be worse. The rookie had only just worked his way back after missing the first eight games, then lasted just six minutes against Brooklyn before the left hamstring strain forced him back out of the lineup.
With Knueppel out, the Hornets will have to lean harder on Grayson Allen, Sion James and Coby White to absorb the minutes and keep the offense moving. It puts more pressure on that group to stabilize a season that has already been tested by injuries, and it leaves Charlotte waiting to see how long it can hold things together without another key piece on the floor. [Read more 🡒]