GAMENOTES: Charlotte Hornets (9-30) vs. Philadelphia 76ers (27-13) - January 20th, 2024

Against all odds, the Hornets managed to avoid a blowout thanks to an incredible defensive effort.

FINAL

Charlotte Hornets 89 (9-31) - Philadelphia 76ers 97 (28-13)

THE BOXSCORE

Credit DALL-E 3 “teal and purple hornet in red white and blue boxer shorts in a boxing match scene reminiscent of the final match from Rocky”

THE BIG STORIES

• On the second night of a back-to-back, a severely undersized and undermanned Charlotte Hornets team brought maximum defensive effort into this game, but poor offensive execution in the 4th quarter doomed what would have been a signature win. The Hornets got a heavy dose of Joel Embiid without the services of their starting or backup centers and handled it admirably through 3 quarters, holding him to under 50% shooting, 0-1 from 3 and 2 turnovers. They threw a number of different man and zone coverages at Embiid, forcing him into tough midrange opportunities and stripping him if he held the ball too long. It was a large part of the Hornets' 73-69 lead heading into the 4th. That lead was erased almost instantly with a 13-2 Sixers run that depended heavily on 9 Hornets turnovers.

• LaMelo Ball missed this game due to right ankle soreness. Same right ankle that kept him out of 15 games this season. Same right ankle that he fractured last season. This doesn't seem like a serious issue in the micro, but the macro story remains concerning.

• Brandon Miller had 20+ points in consecutive games for the first time in his NBA career. He had 23 points on 8 of 17 shooting. His play in the 3rd quarter helped the Hornets to their brief and only lead of the game. He was only 2 of 10 from 3 but was attacking with skill, strength, and fearlessness that jumped off the screen. Concern remains about his back injury, which he seems to still be nursing quite a bit on the bench.

• Cody Martin set a career-high with 4 blocked shots to go along with a steal. It was a masterwork of defense. His offense, particularly his jump shot, has unfortunately gone in the complete opposite direction. He's missing wide opens 3s BADLY.

QUICK TAKES FOR LOCKED ON HORNETS