Charlotte Hornets: Lessons from China
The Charlotte Hornets have completed their two game set in China. They finished the run 2-0 against the Los Angeles Clippers and are now sitting on a 4-0 record for the preseason as a whole so far. The Hornets finished off their run in China with a big forty point victory over the Clips. So what do we know about the team now that we did not know before we went to China?
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1. The Nicolas Batum project is on schedule
When Coach Steve Clifford was asked about Batum, he said that the Hornets were going to run their offense through him. That echoed comments Larry Brown once made about Stephen Jackson. Brown said that Jackson could get a triple-double every night. Batum doubters were treated to the thesis of how the Hornets will use Batum in China. Batum had 14 points, ten rebounds, and five assists in the final game against the Clippers. The result was that a normally tortured Charlotte offense scored almost thirty points per quarter.
2. The Codyzaurus Era is not over
Cody Zeller gained the start at power forward for the final game in China. While his six point performance was not exciting, it was Zeller’s sixteen and ten performance earlier in the preseason that showed that Zeller is still a key part of the mix for the Hornets. That included a made three pointer, something Zeller needs to play with Al Jefferson.
3. Hornets Not Afraid of Smallball
Charlotte started Jeremy Lin at the two guard spot. That may have been calculated as an appeal to Chinese fans, but the lineup resulted in a quick start for the Hornets. Lin scored the game’s first ten points while the Hornets started the game on a 36-8 run.
China gave Lin a standing ovation when he was announced in the starting lineup. We can only hope the new love affair between Chinese fans and the Charlotte Hornets continues throughout the season.