The Charlotte Hornets are undergoing an offensive transformation under James Borrego, and Nic Batum is just one of the players buzzing with excitement from the results. Last season, the Hornets averaged 108.2 points per game, which ranked them 10th in the NBA. So far this preseason, the team is averaging 112.7 points per game. This bump may seem small, but it's yielding results, as the Hornets are 3-1 in preseason play. Building a winning mentality matters, and Batum
“So far, we're playing at a very high pace…different from last year,” said Batum before the team's preseason win over the Chicago Bulls. “We're shooting a lot of three's, different from last year as well. We have a lot of guys who can shoot three's, so the new coaching staff likes to emphasize that. We are good shooters. The NBA is about shooting three's now, so we're trying to make it a point to do that.”
Batum also talked about how both playing at a faster pace and the encouragement of coaches has led to success. Only the Houston Rockets and Utah Jazz have made more three-pointers than the Hornets this preseason. Let's be honest, nobody shoots three's and layups better than the Rockets. Last season, the Hornets made around 10 three-pointers a game. This season, they're making just over 12. Their 37.4 percent shooting mark from deep is right around last seasons mark of 36.9. However, putting more shots up is helping them stay in games late.
“The floor is so spread, so it's easy for a guy like me who comes out to create to find someone for an open shot,” Batum continued. “The speed is different, so we have to get used to it. The first week was pretty tough for us so that's why in practice we had to work on that. We get it. We're starting to get it. It's good to win games, to get that winning feel. We have a lot of young guys. Malik Monk is going to have a big role for us; Dwayne Bacon will have a big role; Miles Bridges is going to play a lot of minutes for us. We need to keep winning games, even today.”
Miles Bridges has surprised the coaching staff this preseason with his helpful scoring. He's been efficient from deep and clutch for the team so far. He's averaging 15.7 points and 6.7 rebounds while shooting 53.3 percent from beyond the arc. This was unexpected, but Bridges has earned consideration for a boost in minutes when the regular season rolls around.
Dwayne Bacon is one of the team's best defenders. He gained some international experience playing with Team USA this offseason, and he'll be expected to guard as many as four positions at times.
Malik Monk was named as a focal point by James Borrego at NBA Media Day this year. He missed the first preseason game with a pelvis injury, but has showed promise in the three games since then. Monk could have played in the preseason opener against the Celtics in Chapel Hill, but the team decided to hold him out with his long term health in mind.
“Getting back into games was amazing,” said Monk. “I've been waiting for this since the end of last year. The court has opened up so much for me this year. There's a lot more space to work with everybody, so it'll open up everybody's game.”
The team's new floor spacing even has Cody Zeller shooting three's. He's a center, and most don't think of him as a scoring threat from deep. However, he's always been comfortable with shooting from range. His game just adjusts to whatever his coaching staff asks for.
“It's not a huge adjustment for me. I've always been a pick and roll guy, and I still will be. I'll just find a couple times a game to stretch the court from the three-point line,” said Zeller.
The Hornets extended their winning streak to three after a 110-104 victory over the Bulls in the Spectrum Center. Nic Batum put up 7 points, 12 rebounds and a team-leading 7 assists. Malik Monk scored 13 while Cody Zeller totaled 14 points. Kemba Walker led the way with 20 points for the Hornets though. Six different players scored in double for the Hornets on the night.
Their new decisive style is making for some fun basketball, and Charlotte should be excited. They scored 91 points through three quarters against the Bulls, The Hornets have one more preseason game against the Dallas Mavericks before their regular season opener against the Milwaukee Bucks on October 17. Things are looking up for the franchise. If their momentum continues into the regular season, they may find themselves contending for the playoffs.
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