So, I had no intentions of staying up until 2AM last night. I didn’t plan on watching a double overtime NBA game. Last night, however, the Hornets SHOULD HAVE won many fans over to root for them. In an amazing turn of events, the short-handed Hornets (10 players available to play) went from being down 16 points at the end of the first quarter, to outscoring the Kings, 42-28, in the 3rd quarter, to come away with a 129-128 victory.
Hats off to DeMarcus Cousins for a stellar performance, finishing with 56 points, 12 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, 2 blocks, and 7 turnovers. Too bad that a record breaking performance like that resulted in a loss for him, but basketball is a team sport. Aside from his 56, only Rudy Gay came close to helping him with 20 points of his own. Darren Collison and Omri Casspi contributed 15 points and 13 points respectively. It just wasn’t enough to stop the Hornets.
The Hornets were victorious not because of the “usual suspects” as much as the guys that have been hidden on the bench. With injuries to so many, these guys had to step up and shine. In a double overtime game where 3 players fouled out, the bench MORE than did their job. Let me throw some numbers out to you:
Kemba Walker – 24 points/8 assists/4 rebounds/4 steals/1 block
Marvin Williams – 21 points/5 rebounds/3 assists/1 steal/1 block
PJ Hairston – 5 points/2rebounds/2 steals
As far as normal starters that we have seen this season, that’s all we had last night. Now for the guys who have had to really step up:
Jeremy Lin – 20 points/11 assists/7 rebounds
Spencer Hawes – 18 points/7 rebounds/2 steals
Troy Daniels – 28 points/7 rebounds
Brian Roberts – 7 points/2 assists
Frank Kaminsky – 4 points/8 rebounds/3 assists/2 steals
Tyler Hansbrough – 2 points/6 rebounds
Aaron Harrison – He didn’t have any recordable stats other than with his time on the floor, he was rated a +6.
Yes, you’re counting right. We had 10 players dressed for last night’s game, and by the end of the 1st overtime, Hawes, Williams, and Hansbrough had all fouled out. Cousins fouled out in the 2nd overtime, and that was a helping factor for the win. Getting a 6’11” 275lb guy having a record night out of the game is important when all players that physically match up to him are either injured or fouled out. The best option on him was 7’ 240lb Frank Kaminsky. Other than Frank, we were down to basically guards to wrap up the game. We did so in dramatic fashion, with Troy Daniels being red hot from the 3-point line (8-11). He hit a key 3-pointer down the stretch to put us ahead for good.
If you didn’t see this game, you need to see if NBA TV will show it again, or hope you know someone who DVR’ed it. It was a game for the ages where the entire team stepped up, played hard, and came away victorious.
The Hornets face the Jazz tomorrow. After a double-OT victory against them in CLT last Monday, I’m hoping that we can win tomorrow without the extra minutes. I’m sure the Hornets are hoping so as well. Playing 50 minutes as Lin did, or 45 minutes as Kemba did; that can really take its toll on a player. Let’s hope today is a film day and maybe a light shoot-around, and we can take Utah by force on Wednesday.
One last mentionable…when the camera was on the Hornets bench, showing MKG and Al in their suits, there was a mumble of the possibility of MKG returning as soon as the end of this road trip. That is unofficial words that I’m wondering if anyone else picked up while watching last night. I heard it. I know I heard it right as well. I can only hope he’s ready because a 100% healthy MKG with fresh legs is something that this team could really use right now.
Let’s Go Hornets!
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