Old North Banter
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Charlotte Hornets: Raptors Win Shows Good Signs

By John Woodcock

Mar 29, 2017; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Charlotte Hornets guard Kemba Walker (15) shoots for a basket over Toronto Raptors center Jonas Valanciunas (17) in the first half at Air Canada Centre. The Hornets won 110-106. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 29, 2017; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Charlotte Hornets guard Kemba Walker (15) shoots for a basket over Toronto Raptors center Jonas Valanciunas (17) in the first half at Air Canada Centre. The Hornets won 110-106. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Charlotte Hornets defeated the Toronto Raptors 110-106 to keep their playoff chances alive.

The Charlotte Hornets’ chances were on life support with the team four games out and the mathematical elimination list getting very close to them. So naturally they took on playoff-bound Toronto and got a win for good measure, 110-106. This was Toronto without Kyle Lowry but it is still a win and it still keeps the Hornets ever so barely alive for the playoffs.

This was not the Kemba Walker production that we had seen the past two games that had fallen short. Instead this was the more balanced outlook the team needed. Walker hit the big shots at the end, but Marvin Williams supplied eighteen points and Marco Belinelli supplied twenty-one. Frank Kaminsky scored thirteen and there was a Miles Plumlee sighting (five points).

How about Belinelli? Does anybody believe now that the Hornets should have kept their draft pick? Where would the Hornets be with Malachi Richardson right now (although it is fair to note that Malcolm Brogdon has had a pretty good year and got a lot of pre-draft Hornets scouting)? Marco has been a fire cracker, if only he played more defense.

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An overlooked part of the box score will doubtless be the nine points scored by Brian Roberts. One of the key issues for the Hornets is increasing their efficiency when going to the bench. The point guard spot is one of the places where that lags since Ramon Sessions has been out. Roberts’ effort against Toronto is something that must continue for the Hornets to have any chance in the playoff race.

Lastly, the Hornets still need to work on defensive effort. Cory Joseph had eighteen points in relief of Lowry. DeMar DeRozan, a known scorer, had eight assists. The Raptors starting five would have beaten the Hornets starting five handily without their respective benches.

Next: Patrick Ewing to Alma Mater

Here goes nothing. The Hornets play the Nuggets on Friday to keep taking things a game at a time.

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