The Charlotte Hornets lost 123-117 to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday night prompting the Charlotte players and coaching staff to look at themselves in the mirror afterward.
The Hornets' Gordon Hayward got real about the team's needs after the tough loss. Star guard LaMelo Ball has been absent lately, which prompted an injury prognosis revelation by the Hornets' training staff.
Hayward pointed his finger at the team's lack of focus. Meanwhile, Clifford talked about the team's need for physicality instead.
"We played hard. We’ve been playing with good energy… We lost because we’re not physical enough, we get outworked on the glass, and we foul.” – Coach Clifford
— Charlotte Hornets (@hornets) December 3, 2023
The Hornets now have just six wins on the season and are in danger of falling into lottery territory yet again by the conclusion of this season. Brandon Miller, the team's 2023 first round pick out of Alabama basketball, had 14 points against the Timberwolves but was dominated by a larger and more experienced Timberwolves front line.
The Hornets are currently 16th in the NBA in scoring, just behind the New Orleans Pelicans and just ahead of the Miami Heat. That's something to build on, but it's going to take more than average to above-average scoring for Charlotte to climb back up into playoff contention either this season or next.
Coach Clifford's team is carving out an identity for itself, that much is for certain. The Hornets are a high octane team with great athletes and well above average three-point shooting. Charlotte currently ranks tenth in the National Basketball Association with a 37.1% shooting percentage on the season.
The Hornets' total overall shooting percentage ranks 17th in the league. Across the board, the signs are there: Charlotte is better than a six-win team at this stage of the season, but the Hornets still have a long way to go if they are to reach their potential, starting with Clifford and Hayward's suggestions.
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