GAME NOTES: Preseason Game #1 Charlotte Hornets (0-0) vs. New York Knicks (0-0) - October 6th, 2024
LaMelo locks in on D, Miller lights it up from 3 and Salaun simplifies and sizzles
FINAL
Charlotte Hornets 109 (0-1) - New York Knicks 111 (1-0)
David and I will be experimenting with live reax on YouTube in the preseason. Subscribe to the EHB YouTube at youtube.com/@everyhornetsboxscore
This one crashed after 20ish minutes but we’re hoping for 100% less crashes in the future.
WHY DID THEY LOSE? (AND OTHER IMPORTANT STORIES)
As with most preseason games, this was a tale of 9 different games. The starters + major bench pieces more than held their own against KAT, Jalen Brunson and the rest of the Knicks. In the 2nd quarter the Hornets turned the ball over too much and let up on defense allowing the Knicks to tie the game at 61 going into the break. Thibs decided to rest his starters for the night but Charles Lee went on the attack bringing his first unit back onto the floor to build a double digit lead. In the middle of the 3rd the deep reserves began to filter in and give away that lead only to claw back in the final few minutes of the game. Recent trade addition DaQuan Jeffries’ bad pass with a minute to go cost them one shot at taking the lead back. A few possessions later, New York fouled another recent trade addition, Duane Washington Jr., during his 3 point attempt to give the Hornets a free look at a lead with 3 seconds left. Unfortunately Washington Jr. missed all 3 and that was all she wrote.
LaMelo Ball led all Hornets in scoring with 18 points, 4 rebounds and 7 assists. He was driving aggressively, looking for contact and putting his newly braced ankles to the test. His turnovers hurt the Hornets in the 2nd quarter but he shot 40% from 3 on 10 attempts and added a steal and a block. Lee said after the game that he took the challenge of guarding Jalen Brunson int he 1st quarter and refused to be screened. Brunson finished the 1st quarter with 3 points on 1 of 4 shooting. Lee has been open about his critiques of past Hornets defensive play so I think we can trust him when he says he liked what he saw.
Brandon Miller was 3 of 7 from 3 and at times seemed like he shouldered more of the play initiation than LaMelo. He finished with 3 assists and 5 rebounds.
The Hornets generally seem like they are responding to Charles Lee’s demand for defensive effort and that’s without the shot blocking services of Mark Willams. They also out-rebounded the Knicks 38-27. They did killed in the fastbreak 23-10 but I think that was more about turning the ball over (points of turnover: 31-12 NYK) than not getting back on D.
With Mark Williams and Grant Williams on the bench with minor injuries there was plenty of room for Tidjane Salaun to get his sea legs in his debut and he was ready and willing. After calling for the ball what seemed like 17 times, he caught a pass on the left wing, drove and hit a soft hook from the elbow for his first points followed quickly by a transition 3 assisted by LaMelo Ball. There is something to be said for the type of ignorance that prevents you from abiding by what people tell you you’re “supposed” to. He has the kind of irrational confidence and effort that are signatures of pro sports greatness. He finished with 11 points and made 3 triples after missing all of his outside attempts in Summer League. His defense needs a lot of work but his long arms and active feet made him a factor there as well. Lots to learn for him. Lots to be excited about for fans.
Tre Mann gets the final shout out. He finished with 15 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists and a lot of love for his baggy jersey/shorts combo that looks plucked right out of the 2000 NBA finals. His command of his offense, particularly his stepback 3, was nice but Charles Lee was more impressed with his defensive effort.
NEWS AND NOTES
Injuries: Mark Williams (foot), Cody Martin (thumb laceration), Nick Smith Jr. (L groin) and Grant Williams (R hamstring), the latter two were ruled out a few hours before the game.
All of these injuries are considered minor. Toughest for Martin and NSJ who will be fighting for time in the wing rotation.
With Grant out we’ll get looks at the start of Tidjane’s career and the end of Taj’s
Starters: Ball, Green, Miller, Bridges, Richards
THINGS I THINK I SAW
1Q 11:30 LaMelo loses his guy but gets the chase down block. DOESN’T GIVE UP ON THE PLAY
LaMelo driving and looking for the foul but not getting it.
1Q 10:28 - Miller screens for Ball, drive kick to Bridges for a corner 3
1Q 7:04 - Miller doesn’t feel comfortable challenging Mikal Bridges 1v1, rotates to Ball who finds Green open for 3 in the corner BANG.
1Q 6:46 - Green GREAT pass to Miller in transition who draws another NYK foul, his third.
1Q 6:25 - Josh Green early with the help on the OG drive, gives Miller a chance to recover.
1Q 5:02 - Miles Bridges YAMS off the cut. Lot of talk of where his bounce went last season. He gave a detailed answer as to what he did in the offseason to get it back.
1Q 4:24 - Mann great job to penetrate without panic. Switches sides and finds Brandon open on the wing with a inch of space BANG-O
Mann looking like A.I. out there with the oversized gear and headband.
1Q 3:52 - BACK TO BACK JACKS from Brandon Miller. Same spot. Uh oh. Charlotte’s got a real one. Timeout Knicks
1Q 3:42 - Tidjane Salaun checks in for the first time.
Mann has been all over the place in this game in all the best ways.
2:50 - Mann DIRTY step back triple
Playing like a man who wants to make his case for rotation minutes with no Martin or NSJ in this game
Miles McBride KILLING the Hornets on both ends. This is not new.
1Q :18 - Richards allows the OREB by Sims and then bites on a pump to foul. Double demerit.
:03 - TRE MANN AGAIN FROM 3. Deep pull up! Perfect 3 of 3 in the 1Q
I’m going to estimate conservatively that Salaun has called for the ball 17 times since checking in lol
2Q 10:34 - Salaun ball fake into the half hook for his first points. He’s not timid.
2Q 9:16 - Ball to Salaun in transition. QUICK 3! RAPIDE CINQ!!!
OMG now Precious Achiuwa hits a bank 3. He and McBride always turn into Pippen/Jordan when they play the Hornets it’s absurd.
2Q 7:15 - Taj Gibson gets an OREB putback and it’s so beautiful to see the Hornets sustain a single injury at the center position and be able to play someone who isn’t one breath away from playing in Lithuania.
2Q 4:27 - Miller doing A LOT on this defensive possession. He is not going to let Brunson abuse him like he did last season.
2Q 3:37 - Brandon nice look away pass to find Nick Richards for his first points
2Q 1:54 - Bridges gets a size advantage post up on Brunson which draws a double. He finds an open Nick Richards who hits the 8 footer. Hornets making all the right decisions on offense.
2Q 1:23 - LaMelo hands in the cookie jar on the KAT transition drive. Unnecessary. The kind of stuff that has more negative possibilities than positive.
2Q :30 - Miller comes off a really good screen from Richards and pulls up from 3.
1ST HALF: 61-61
Miller 10-3-2, led team in Game Score
Bridges 7-6-2
Richards 8-8
Ball 10-1-6 (4 TO, 3 PF)
Balanced scoring, lots of ball movement. Activity on defense. 5 turnovers in the 2Q led to 10 points.
Charlotte trots the starters out as Thibs goes with reserves
3Q - Josh Green gets up into McBride’s shirt on ball. YES LETS GO!!
Bridges corner 3 off the beautiful LaMelo drive and kick. Caps a 10-0 run to open the 2nd half as the Hornets starters beat up on the Knicks bench.
Nick Richards gets his first goaltend but it will not be his last.
7:00 - Salaun back in along with Moussa Diabate
Tre Mann looks like he’s going to be a problem this season
The issue with Salaun is that he has no timing, instincts or IQ on the defensive end.
4:37 - He does have crazy long arms and active feet when he’s 1v1 as he showed off here disrupting McBride’s shot
The aggression on these Mann drives is outstanding. Salaun’s drive and kick back to Vasa gets it going.
4Q 11:45 - 1st look at KJ Simpson
4Q 8:55 - 1st look at Harry Giles
4Q 7:46 - Great backdoor cut by Simpson. Should have taken all the way. Gives it up to Giles who blows the layup but is fouled.
All the new adds from NYK are playing with an edge on defense that Lee will certainly like. There will be room in Greensboro for a few of them unless they want to go back overseas.
Simpson tries a euro and gets sent packing
Giles doesn’t look entirely in shape, which like, how?
The best 2 way player on this deep reserve lineup has been Duane Washington Jr.
4Q 2:34 - ANOTHER 3PM for Salaun
4Q :35 - Diabate NICE pump fake to cut the NYK lead to 2!!!
Nice D by Diabate and he gets the board.
Horrifically broken play ends with Duane Washington Jr. being FOULED on the 3PA. Reviewed. CONFIRMED.
Woof. He misses the first 2. Timeout. Intentional miss. FINAL.
LEE POSTGAME
“I thought we took another step tonight.”
A really good defensive game all around for our team
Lee complimented Tidjane for “simplifying his game” holding his spacing. Said he had a tendency in camp to slash too much, clog the paint. “He’s going to be a game changer for this organization”
LaMelo took on the challenge of guarding Jalen Brunson, “you saw him refusing to be screened.”
What did you see?
So. I'm not an analyst. I write more emotionally. So here's the deal: I haven't been a 'Hornets' fan. I showed up because LaMelo was drafted. Had he gone to the Warriors, I would be there, singing his and Steph's praises, for certain. BUT, this iteration of Hornets, with the ownership, admin, staff and coaching changes, has me thinking one thought after this pre-season opener ... "Don't Sleep on the Hornets" (sue me Doug, I know it's in Locked On's intro). THIS WAS THE FIRST GAME and yes, there are some moving parts that need to move on down the road to Greensboro, but without Grant, Cody or Mark, this ragmuffin team was not blown out as in seasons past (namely the four I've seen) and I will go as far as to say, I believe, with the Basketball gods on the Hornets' side, this team is about to make the league say ... the HORNETS??!!? Damn. LaMelo came back, like he had only a 'summer' break, in form and fashion and INTENTION. There were some isolated moments of "only LaMelo or Luka" could see the floor like that. They really didn't lose last night. Especially from the depth of which they had to rise.