Hornets steal Game 5 on the road, but cannot finish out series at home in Game 6

The series will head back to Miami for the deciding Game 7.

Game 5 recap – Both teams struggled to score from the field, but the Hornets managed for the first time all series to hit shots from the outside, going 12-24 from the 3-point line. Marvin Williams led the Hornets with 17 points, but it was Courtney Lee who had the biggest impact. With the Hornets down one, Lee hit the game winning 3-pointer with 25.2 seconds remaining after grabbing the offensive rebound seconds before. Wade may have been fouled on the Heat’s ensuing possession, but no call was made, Charlotte escaped Miami with a huge road win.

Game 6 recap – The Hornets jumped out to an early 18-11 lead, but Miami would come back and control most of the game from that point. The Hornets managed to cut the lead to just two, but Dwyane Wade would hit two 3-pointers in the final minutes of the 4th quarter (the first he’s made since February), along with a signature turnaround jump shot, to ice the Hornets comeback and force a Game 7. Kemba Walker played phenomenally, scoring 38 points, and singlehandedly getting Charlotte back into the game. Unfortuantely, his late game heroics would be bested by Wade.

The good – The Hornets stole Game 5, a game they had little business winning. Miami led for most of the game, but Charlotte hung in until the end, and Lee’s 3-pointer capped off the shocking win. It may end up being all for naught now, but it put serious pressure on Miami.

Walker’s play in Game 6 was something else, as well. Walker scored 14 of Charlotte’s 20 points in the quarter, and had the Hornets come back to win, there would have been a statue erected outside Time Warner Cable that night. Walker was the star of the night, until Wade won the game.

The bad – Unable to clinch the series at home, Charlotte faces a difficult task of winning another game in Miami. Nicolas Batum re-injured his ankle in Game 6, and right now it’s doubtful he, or Spencer Hawes, will play on Sunday.

And while Walker was superb in Game 6, he received little help on the offensive end, particularly in the second half. Jeremy Lin went 1-8, Marvin Williams shot 0-7, and Courtney Lee just 1-2.

Looking ahead – Game 7 will decide the series, but the Hornets no longer hold the advantage. Winning in Miami would be a huge upset, and for it to happen, Charlotte will need more production out of their role players on offense, and will need to do a better job of rebounding the basketball.