Hornets Get Their First Loss
The Minnesota Timberwolves (2-0) are leaving Charlotte with their second win of the season, beating the Charlotte Hornets (1-1) 121-99.
The Hornets were buzzing out of the gate, scoring 21 of the first 27 points in the first quarter. Miles Bridges ignited the offense with a three-pointer, followed by two consecutive makes from Terry Rozier. With each starter getting in on the scoring the Hornets quickly jumped out to a 21-6 lead. After a timeout was called on the floor with 3:25 left, the Hornets offense went stagnant, turning the ball over on three of their next four possessions. That seemed to be the story of this game for the Hornets- turnovers. Karl-Anthony Towns scored 8 consecutive points for the Timberwolves to end the first quarter, helping Minnesota go into the second quarter down 32-30.
The second quarter was back and forth between the two teams. Each squad was pushing the pace and trying to capitalize on the mistakes of their opponent. The Hornets opened the quarter with a turnover and 2 consecutive misses which helped Minnesota get out to an early second quarter lead. Devonte’ Graham did a great job leading the offense scoring 10 of his 24 points in the second quarter. With Cody Zeller out for personal reasons, Karl-Anthony Towns exposed the interior defense of the Charlotte Hornets. Towns finished with a double-double. He had 27 points on 13/18 shooting and 15 rebounds. Four of those rebounds were offensive. Towns punished the Hornets from the perimeter making 4 of his 7 threes.
The third quarter is when it got ugly for Charlotte. The Timberwolves outscored the Hornets 45-25 in the third. “45 to 25. Back-to-back games, third quarter, two 40 point third quarters,” Coach Borrego said after the game. 17 of those 45 points were by none other than Karl-Anthony Towns. “Well we tried to double team him,” Rozier said when asked about Towns. “He just had his way, he was too comfortable all night.” No discipline while dribbling the ball and no discipline on the glass was the kryptonite of the Hornets. Minnesota kept getting multiple second-chance looks at the basket. The Hornets were not being physical inside and this is due partially to the absence of Cody Zeller. A majority of Minnesota’s 17 second-chance points came in the third quarter. The quarter ended with the Hornets on the losing side of a lost battle. The score after 3 was 103-81.
The fourth quarter was nothing exciting. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist checked in and led all scorers in the fourth with 5 points. MKG got up 7 shots in 10 minutes on the floor.
After the game Head Coach James Borrego said he can circle two things in this loss. “Turnovers and foul trouble.” The Hornets turned the ball over 19 times. Terry Rozier got into foul trouble early in the second quarter. “I thought Terry had good rhythm. He was playing well…. and he picked up three quick fouls, and that really hurt us in the second quarter. We lost some rhythm there,” Borrego said. Devonte’ Graham stepped in and ran the point the majority of the game. Rozier clocked 17 minutes and 37 seconds on the floor tonight, the least of any starter. Bismack Biyombo played one second more than Rozier.
If the Hornets had Cody Zeller I think this game could’ve gone differently. In terms of the league Zeller may not be a top big-man, but in Charlotte he has an integral role on this younger squad. The 7-footer brings leadership, hustle and size to the floor. Zeller was among the top Centers in the league last year for screen-assist percentage. When you’re playing an opponent like the Timberwolves who have a polarizing figure like K.A.T., you need to answer with a polarizing figure of your own and Charlotte didn’t have that. Biyombo and Willy Hernangomez weren’t physical enough with Towns and that’s why Towns almost finished with a triple-double. “We’re not the biggest team… We have to be more physical, in the end we’ve got to be more physical,” said Borrego.
The Hornets are heading out West for a four-game road trip. If they keep turning the ball over and getting beat on the glass, the Hornets can come back to Charlotte with a 1-5 record.
Next Four Games:
@ Los Angele Lakers
@Los Angeles Clippers
@Sacramento Kings
@Golden State Warriors
P.J. Washington
Washington scored 10 points tonight. Adding that to his 27 points scored on Wednesday night, his cumulative total for the season is 37. He has surpassed Adam Morrison (35 points in 2006) for the most combined points through first two games in franchise history. Washington got his first career double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
Devonte’ Graham
On Wednesday night Graham scored his career-high 23 points. He broke that tonight and scored 24. Graham’s 24 points came on 8-15 shooting, including 6-9 from three. Devonte’ Graham is the first player in NBA history to make 12 three-pointers off the bench in his first two games of a season.
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