Charlotte Hornets lift off to a flying start in first 4 games

MATT LACZKO | THE CHARLOTTE POST

Brandon Miller, who signed a five-year $200 million extension with the Hornets last week, overcame a slow start in the season’s first two games to score 34 and 39 points in wins against Miami and Washington. The Hornets were 3-1 going into their Oct. 28 game at Detroit.

The Hornets got a serious wake-up call and responded. 

After getting blown out against Atlanta in the home opener, the Hornets (3-1) responded by beating Miami 115-110 and Washington 110-103. The Spectrum Center debut was an eye-opener when Atlanta went on a 20-3 run to start the first quarter and Charlotte never recovered. 

“It was a good learning experience for our entire group,” coach Charles Lee said. “When things aren’t going your way, what is your focus going to be? Are we going to look for excuses, are we going to look for people to bail us out, or are we going to band together and try to get out of it on our own?”

The home crowd wasn’t pleased with the performance as boos started to echo around Spectrum Center. But, the next day against Miami they were cheering during a fourth quarter push to get over the edge against Miami.

“We’re a family,” Lee said. “They are a part of the Hive. (It) was one of those days where the family wasn’t acting right. You have to let them know, and they did. We used it as fuel … and they gave us our flowers today, which is what family does. We love the fans, we appreciate them.”

Said guard/forward Brandon Miller: “Every game is not going to be perfect. Whether we’re up 20 or down 20, we have to play Hornets DNA basketball at the end of the day. I think our mindset and how we think about other teams going on runs; it’s how we’re going to respond to it. In the NBA, you have to fight a bit of adversity.”

Miller got off to a shaky start to the season scoring 18 against Brooklyn and six against Atlanta. He responded with 34 and 39 against Miami and Washington. 

“That’s why you never overreact to shooting numbers or shooting slumps or one-game sample sizes,” Lee said after the Miami win. “[Miller] has a body of work that is very impressive. Though he may be struggling offensively, he creates so many good things for us on the offensive end. We thought his defense today was much improved. That steal he got on Larsson was at a crucial moment. That’s just who he is; that’s the type of consistent competitor he is. He wants to be an elite two-way player and he showed it today.”

Washington — like Miami two nights prior — made a late run to narrow the gap. Lee was proud of how Charlotte closed the game out.

“I think in all games, you have to realize the game is far from over,” Lee said, “and so I’d love to see our habits be sustainable until that last buzzer. I thought we had a little bit of a lapse in transition defense not protecting the paint in key moments, and then after the timeout Brandon gets a big-time block on Anthony Davis at the rim. I thought our shift activity improved, the contests were great, and they banged a couple of threes that were heavily contested, but for the most part I thought once we locked back in on our habits and our techniques, we got a little bit better. I was really happy with that.”

One thing that was apparent in both wins was the Hornets’ veteran presence. Newcomers Naz Reid, Grayson Allen and Dennis Schroder among others have been in clutch moments in big games and it’s had a calming effect on the floor. 

With starters Coby White and Kon Knueppel still out due to injury, for the Hornets to be 3-1 it lends one to think once the full crew can go — not to get too far ahead of ourselves — this team could win their fair share of games. 

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