The New Orleans Pelicans came into Spectrum Center and beat the Charlotte Hornets, 112-107, in the first half of a back-to-back. That's their third straight loss after losing two straight games against the Miami Heat. Some of the same problems that plagued them from the previous losses cam back to haunt them in the competition against the Pelicans. In this one though, bad fouls put the opposition at the line and was a big factor in the game. Steve Clifford had a lot to say about that issue and more after the contest.
Hornets' foul trouble a big issue
“We didn't really do a good job of moving the defense at all but we made really poor decisions in the paint too,” Clifford said, via Bally Sports.
“Ball movement was a little stagnant. Didn't move with the necessary fluidity that it needed to to force the defense to react the way that Clifford wanted it to. Thus creating the slow start that the Hornets wanted to avoid. It also doesn't help when fouls are consistently an issue.”
"We didn't really do a good job of moving the defense at all but we made really poor decisions in the paint too."
Head Coach Steve Clifford talks with the media after the loss at home to the Pelicans. @hornets | #LetsFly35 pic.twitter.com/du2OC0UKAq
— Bally Sports: Hornets (@HornetsOnBally) December 16, 2023
Clifford added that allowing the Pelicans to get “in the bonus right away” hurt them. The Hornets head coach also pointed out how hard it was to stop Zion Williamson and how dominant Jonas Valanciunas was in the game.
“Nick (Richards) got his fifth with nine and a half, 10 (minutes to go). Even then, we made a really bad closeout off a double team down three that led to a (CJ) McCollum layup. Then obviously we don’t block out on the free throws, so that gave them the extra possession. If we get one of those two back, then we’d have the ball to tie or actually go ahead. The big thing in the fourth was getting into foul trouble early. They're hard – Zion is obviously, it's hard but you’ve got to play with discipline. It's doable. Then Valanciunas, he dominated that game,” Clifford explained.
Guarding Williamson and Valanciunas will put pressure on any team in the league, but missing out on their starting center in Mark Williams makes that task even more daunting for Charlotte. The Hornets added some depth with Nathan Mensah out of the G League, but injuries have contributed to the reason this team is 7-16 at this point in the season.
It doesn't get any easier for the Hornets
The Hornets have to face an even more formidable frontcourt with the Philadelphia 76ers coming into town on the second end of a back-to-back. Joel Embiid is playing even better than he was in his MVP season a year ago, too.
With that being said, it's time for Steve Clifford and the Hornets to go back to the drawing board to figure out how to game plan for the next incoming foe.
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