Hornets can’t keep up this 8-player charade. They’ll be too tired for play-in tournament
Players want minutes. Only in extreme circumstances will a player complain he’s being overused.
So Charlotte Hornets point guard Devonte Graham’s response was understandable when I asked him after Tuesday’s loss to the Bucks how badly this team needs reinforcements.
“We’re good with the minutes we’re playing,” said Graham, after scoring 25 points on a 114-104 home loss to the Milwaukee Bucks. “You’ve got to do what you’ve got to do.”
All five Hornets starters played at least 30 minutes Tuesday and forward Miles Bridges topped out at 41. The Hornets play the Celtics on Wednesday night in Boston, and you just hope they have any legs left for that one.
Everyone in the organization is hopeful that LaMelo Ball and Malik Monk are cleared to play in time for weekend games against the Detroit Pistons on Saturday and Miami Heat on Sunday. Hornets coach James Borrego must feel like the walls are closing in on him, scrambling to find combinations that can score one more point than the other team.
Borrego again limited his rotation to eight Tuesday. The only non-starters to play were Brad Wanamaker, Bismack Biyombo and Jalen McDaniels. Cody Zeller hasn’t played in three games and Caleb Martin’s only time in that span was two minutes against the Celtics on Sunday after the game was decided.
Borrego has concluded that this team’s survival path until Ball (wrist fracture) and Monk (sprained ankle) are ready is less-is-more. Less, as in fewer bodies, and also less, as in less size.
The trade-off of playing small ball
It’s understandable that Borrego continues to go primarily with P.J. Washington at center and Bridges at power forward. Those two are his best offensive combination up front, particularly in forcing opposing big men out to the perimeter: Bridges and Washington combined to shoot 5 of 12 from 3-point range.
The problem Tuesday was at the other end, where the Bucks scored a whopping 62 points in the paint.
Center Brook Lopez scored 22 points and power forward Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 29. Antetokounmpo is the reigning NBA MVP, so you expect this from him. But Lopez shot 9 of 12 Tuesday because he was constantly standing at the basket with the ball with little resistance between him and rim.
The Hornets’ defensive approach isn’t flawed, but there is only so much two 6-foot-7 guys can do against 7-foot Lopez and 6-11 Antetokounmpo.
I asked Borrego if he’s contemplating going deeper into his roster. It sounds like the next time there will be significant rotation changes, they’ll result from Ball’s and Monk’s return.
“Hopefully, we get some reinforcements back here soon, and then I’ll have a problem with playing too many,” Borrego said. “Hopefully, I’ll have that problem here in a few days.”
Expectations game
The Hornets going 10-10 since rookie star Ball broke his wrist March 20 is actually impressive, particularly considering Monk and Gordon Hayward (sprained foot) both were injured in early April.
The Hornets have two days off from games Thursday and Friday, and that’s when Ball’s and Monk’s recoveries will be tested on-court in 2-on-2 or 3-on-3 scrimmages.
Don’t get your hopes up that Hayward will be back anytime soon; he’s still wearing a protective boot on his right foot and Borrego said, “Gordon is not there yet,” as far as any impending activity.
It’s important to be a realist about Ball’s and Monk’s returns. These guys have missed weeks, and the idea they can instantly play big minutes and have major impact is unrealistic.
But anything they can provide isn’t just welcome, it could be essential.
Eight-man rotations aren’t common in the NBA. Forty-minute games aren’t outlandish, but Borrego can’t keep piling up these marathons indefinitely. Otherwise, they’ll be gassed for that play-in tournament, when the Hornets could play their most consequential games in a very long time.
This story was originally published April 28, 2021 at 8:47 AM with the headline "Hornets can’t keep up this 8-player charade. They’ll be too tired for play-in tournament."
