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The Charlotte Hornets have quickly become one of the most exciting teams in the NBA due to their high-flying ability that produces highlight-reel material on a nightly basis. It has been somewhat disappointing to see the Hornets end in the 10th seed, but their 43-39 record still assured they would have a chance to play some postseason basketball. This will be an exciting play-in matchup to watch as LaMelo Ball and Trae Young will go toe-to-toe to see which star guard can lead their team to victory.
With the 2022 NBA Play-In Tournament right around the corner, here are three bold predictions for the game.
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Hornets Play-in Predictions
3. LaMelo Ball Will Secure a Triple Double
He has been on the NBA radar for seemingly forever, but LaMelo Ball will get his first chance at postseason basketball this year. The 20-year-old is the motor that makes this Hornets team run and has increased his averages to 20.1 points, 7.6 assists, and 6.7 rebounds per game in year two. LaMelo has also increased his three-point percentage to 38.9% on 7.5 attempts per game.
While he is sure to remain a scoring threat, the most impactful part of LaMelo's game is as a playmaker. The former Chino Hills standout is at his best when securing a defensive rebound and then immediately looking to push the pace with the ball in his hand. He is artful in capitalizing on passing lanes and creating open looks for his teammates. Look for LaMelo to notch the 7th triple-double of his career and the first in his postseason career and put his fingerprints all over the play-in matchup.
2. Miles Bridges Will Dominate John Collins
The Trae Young vs LaMelo Ball matchup will likely be the most important battle to watch, but Miles Bridges vs John Collins is not far behind. Bridges has continued to grow his game each season and led the Hornets in scoring this season with 20.2 points per game. The high-flyer has developed a solid faceup game and his burst of quickness should be utilized against John Collins in the matchup.
The 24-year-old forward for the Hawks is a solid player who has some high-flying highlights of his own, but he lacks the overall polish that has been shown by Miles Bridges this season. Look for the Hornets to find a way to isolate Bridges on Collins and allow the Michigan State product to capitalize on the quickness advantage he has. Bridges has led the Hornets in scoring throughout the season so this shouldn't be a surprise but look for him to score 25+ points in this matchup.
1. Kelly Oubre Jr. Will Provide Necessary Bench Production
Each team will have to make some tough decisions on who is cut out of the playoff rotation with the playoffs ahead, and it will be interesting to see how many men the Hornets include in their playoff rotation. One guy that should be a lock for minutes is Kelly Oubre Jr who has provided an effective scoring punch throughout the season. The 26-year-old is averaging 15 points per game on the season and is connecting on 34.5% of his three-point attempts.
Oubre Jr has never been a guy afraid of the spotlight, so expect him to step to center stage for the playoffs. The 6'6 wing has not been back in the postseason since 2018 in which he scored in double-figures in 4 of the 6 postseason games. It has been a somewhat rocky year for Oubre Jr, but he is a very important part of the second unit for the Hornets and is certain to get his chance in the playoffs. If the Kansas product can establish himself as the most impactful bench player between the two teams, it would help the Hornets' chances at a victory a great deal. There tends to be an unsung hero who takes the spotlight in the playoffs nearly every year, and Kelly Oubre Jr seems like a strong candidate for this role.
Since the Hawks are the higher seed, this game will tip off in Atlanta on Tuesday. The Hornets also were the last seed of the play-in tournament last season but Head Coach James Borrego believes he has the team playing at its best right now. Charlotte has won 11 of their past 16 games and the roster is about as healthy as it has been all season.
