The Hornets looked to avenge their first game of the season loss to the Miami Heat. Avenge away, Hornets. Avenge away. Absolutely dominating the Heat in all facets of the game from start to finish. Little bit of news before we get into the recap; Al Jefferson will be suspended 5 games following his return from injury for violating the leagues’ substance abuse policy. Disappointing to say the least but, the way the team has been playing, it shouldn’t be a large issue. On to the fun! Nicolas Batum notched a triple-double with 10pts, 11 assists and 11 rebounds in one of the most impressive games we’ve seen from him in his first season as a Hornet. Kemba Walker and Marvin Williams added 18 points a piece while Jeremy Lamb nabbed himself 10 points. Charlotte took over first place in the Southeast division with a score of a 99-80(lowest opponent score of the year) over the Miami Heat.
First quarter was dominated by great passing and solid defense. The Hornets jumped out to a small lead early and let the Heat make mistakes on the offensive end. Batum and Zeller were ON POINT with each other. Connecting on a number of buckets. Hassan Whiteside’s incredible defense in the paint was a tough code to crack as he rejected the first and second shots taken by Cody Zeller. Kemba and company slumped shooting early but again, ball movement was king. Ending the quarter up 27-17 shooting 48%. Nic Batum had 6 assists as well.
Marvin Williams was on FIRE in the 2nd, hitting 3/4 three point shots early on bolstering the Charlotte lead. The Hornets continued to be dominant while moving the ball and playing solid defense. Having 18 assists in the first half shows how this team shares the ball incredibly well. The Heat took solid shots but, couldn’t get anything to fall. Jeremy Lamb had a monster quarter off the bench as the Hornets rocketed out to a 52-32 lead late in the 2nd. It cannot be understated how much fun this team is to watch. The development of both Cody Zeller and Frank Kaminsky as a complimentary front court has made the absence of Al Jefferson nearly un-felt. Charlotte maintained their lead all the way to the half and lead 56-36.
Starting the third was a crucial time of any game but, in a game with a large lead…the first five minutes are critical. Too bad the Hornets had no interest in relinquishing said lead. More great shooting and passing followed more hilariously bad Heat play. Nicolas Batum racked up a few more rebounds and assists while flirting with a triple-double, his first since January 2014. Jeremy Lamb continued his development and leadership midway through the third. A lot of people have wondered if his success would be short lived after signing a three year deal here in Charlotte. That has absolutely not been the case.
Another fourth quarter than can be summed up in one statement;
IS THIS REAL LIFE?!?
The bench clearing of both teams led to an absolute stop in quality play. Both benches played poorly and scoring overall died. Can I also add that it is completely baffling that Tyler Hansboro makes baskets. His form is horrifying, his shot selection is awful and he just doesn’t look good at it at all. With all that being said, he made 2/4 and made them at the right time.
The Hornets success all season has been pretty simple: ball movement, shooting and defense. All of the things last years team was completely devoid of. If I had anything to complain about, it would be the free throw shooting. 6/14 late in the game. That’s simply unacceptable. If that’s my only complaint, then it was a pretty good night. The Hornets take over FIRST PLACE in the Southeast Division with the win. WOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!
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