Regular Season Game #31 Charlotte Hornets (7-23) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (24-5) - December 28th, 2024

Hornets fight harder but don't have enough firepower to crack the Thunder

FINAL

Charlotte Hornets 94 (7-24) - Oklahoma City Thunder 106 (25-5)

THE BOXSCORE

WHY DID THEY LOSE? (AND OTHER IMPORTANT STORIES)

• They were playing the best team in the NBA with one of the best players in the NBA.

  • The Thunder were without key defensive role players but still had an MVP leader in Shai Gilegous-Alexander and enough depth to manage the absences.

• The Hornets meanwhile were without their two top scorers in LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller who the team said aggravated existing injuries in the loss to Wizards. Neither situation sounded serious.

• Charlotte played with more effort, focus and fight than in their past few losses, particularly on the defensive end where several steals in the 4th quarter had the Hornets within 10 of OKC with 2 to go but they couldn’t execute in transition. Lots of passes off the mark or funky dribbles that gave OKC an extra second to recover. The final 3 minutes of the game had the makings of a miracle run but the Hornets couldn’t hit shots.

  • They needed to basically make every transition opportunity and hit a bunch of contested 3s to even keep this close and they did neither.

• Their ball movement was much better. The Hornets have looked okay to great when they have been without some combo of LaMelo and/or Brandon. Strangely as they get guys back they forget how to compete.

• Vasa Micic (16 points, 4 assists on 6 of 13 shooting) did a good job of organizing the offense and was one of the few in teal that could hit multiple 3s. He’s always good for a game against his own team and when he knows he’s getting big minutes. It wasn’t a star turn or anything but he managed the first half well.

• Miles Bridges’ outside shot abandoned him again after rebounding briefly in the loss to the Wizards. He did lead the Hornets in scoring with 19 and added 10 rebounds and 6 assists. But he shot 5 of 16 for the field, 1 of 8 from 3.

• OKC went small and zoned up for significant portions of this game. Mark Williams only logs 22 minutes, NicK Richards only 12 minutes. Mark did finish with a double-double (12-10)

• This is just another game that serves as evidence that beyond LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller the Hornets don’t have any great role players/secret stars who just need more burn. Tre Mann MIGHT be that but he’s been out. Salaun MIGHT be that but he still has no idea where to be. He needs another year of just learning how the NBA works before we can say anything about him with confidence.

NEWS AND NOTES