Now that the Charlotte Hornets have shown they can win without some of their key players, the next step is to prove it’s not a fluke.
The next chance will come on the road Wednesday night against the New York Knicks.
With injuries to LaMelo Ball, Terry Rozier and Cody Martin, the Hornets won their most-recent game 126-109 at Atlanta on Sunday.
“You can always win a game in this league if you have the right approach, right attitude and you play the right way,” Charlotte coach Steve Clifford said.
The Knicks are getting key production from guard Jalen Brunson, who has been directing the New York offense in an efficient manner.
“He has such a strong demeanor and a strong face,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said.
New York has been fluid offensively for much of the first week of the season. That’s something that could continue to develop.
“It’s not one guy dancing and holding the ball,” Thibodeau said. “And they were taking turns shooting it.”
Brunson has averaged 7.0 assists per game to go with 17.7 points. Julius Randle is New York’s leading scorer and rebounder at 21.3 and 9.7, respectively.
New York’s pace has kept opponents on alert, and that has led to some notable stretches at both ends of the court.
“It’s critical to have a great defense,” Thibodeau said.
The Knicks will aim to be disruptive against the Hornets, who could be trying to put together some new pieces and various combinations.
With the backcourt health concerning for the Hornets, Charlotte will have to lean into its depth.
Guard Dennis Smith Jr., who was signed by the Hornets shortly before the beginning of the season, would be tasked with more responsibility. Smith played parts of three seasons with the Knicks, with the latter half of the 2018-19 season among his best stretches as a pro in a season when he averaged 14.7 points per game for New York.
Smith, who supplied a team-best six assists in the victory over the Hawks, has scored in double figures in every game this season. He has averaged 13.3 points per outing.
Rozier, who is listed as day-to-day since exiting the second game of the season with an ankle injury, had been Charlotte’s leading scorer and top assist man through two games. Ball has been out since sustaining an ankle injury in the preseason.
Backup center Nick Richards has been efficient for the Hornets, going 9-for-9 from the field at Atlanta. He finished with 20 points and 11 rebounds in 20 minutes off the bench.
The Hornets, who are 2-0 in road games, don’t want to be satisfied by the solid victory at Atlanta.
“I hope that we don’t as a collective, feel like we’ve done anything, because we haven’t,” Charlotte guard Kelly Oubre Jr. said. “It was a bigger challenge for us to come in here and stay locked in and focused on the game plan.”
Oubre scored a team-high 24 points at Atlanta.
This will be Charlotte’s third road game among its first four contests. The Knicks are 2-0 at home.
–Field Level Media
