The Charlotte Hornets fell to the Phoenix Suns by a score of 107-96 on Friday night, but there is always some kind of silver lining in these late season games for the Hornets. In this one, Brandon Miller was able to reach the 1,000 point mark in his rookie campaign, and Vasilije Micic dropped 20 points for the second straight game. While this season hasn't been very good for Charlotte, it's important to take note of the wins, however small they may be.
Brandon Miller hits important milestone
It took 60 games for him to get there, but Miller finally eclipsed 1,000 points on the season against the Suns. Miller has gradually gotten better as the season has gone on, and he's now averaging 16.8 points per game on the year while shooting 43.6 percent from the floor. And yet, amid his growth, it's important to remember that he's still only 21 years old and playing in his first campaign in the NBA.
The Suns big three know a thing or two about scoring at a high clip and the overall rigors of the league. Kevin Durant had some high praise for Miller and his development up to this point after matching up with him for the second time this season.
“Just understanding the pro game,” Durant said. “I think that's the biggest challenge for players coming out of college and just how different the game is. Usually around this time, February, March, April is when rookies start to understand the game a little more. He's put in positions to just learn and get better. That's always the best to learn, throw guys out in the fire and let them play games and get better. It's only going to be good for his development.”
Bradley Beal, Miller's former AAU coach, had some kind words for him too.
“He's more aggressive, he's tougher…I'm beyond proud of him, his skillset is immaculate. He was the focal point of our scouting report and I'm sure he is for everybody else too. I'm just excited for him. He's in a good situation for a team that can grow together. They have a big future ahead of them.”
Sure the Hornets lost, but players are paying attention to what Miller is doing. The future is bright in Charlotte, and with about 15 games left on the season, Miller is going to look to end it with a bang, maybe even making one final push to show why he deserves a spot on the All-Rookie First Team.
Vasilije Micic continues to string together strong performances for the Hornets
Micic has burst onto the scene since being picked up by the Hornets at the trade deadline from the Oklahoma City Thunder, and while he endured a bit of a rough stretch shortly after arriving in Charlotte, he's turned it around over the past few games. After his latest 20-point outing, Micic opened up on his mentality as he suddenly finds himself with a big role on the Hornets.
“I just always say I play in the moment,” Micic said. “I feel like the improvement during the game, the improvement as a player, especially now that this is a completely new challenge for me being in the NBA and competing against those guys today, who I just know about from the newspapers, being able to compete and improve, hopefully I get better every day. I think playing efficiently, it’s something you have to use from the minutes you get and you have to understand your strengths, use your strengths as a main weapon. I think today I was aggressive in the paint and that’s how I ended up with 20 points.”
Micic's sudden development has been very encouraging for the Hornets, and he's making a case to suggest that he could end up becoming a part of their future. As the season rolls on, look for him and Miller to continue to do their best to try to grind out wins for Charlotte, and who knows, maybe they'll be able to pull off a couple of upsets along the way.
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