Charlotte Hornets vs Portland Trail Blazers Preview

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The Charlotte Hornets are playing at home tonight after a six game skid that has taken the team from near .500 to just north of wherever the Lakers are these days. There can be several items pointed to describe what is driving the losing streak.

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One, the team is still not healthy. The Hornets model was always built on defense, and the on and off again play of the injured Michael Kidd-Gilchrist has hurt the team’s defensive foundation. Without him, the Hornets are forced to rely on Gerald Henderson or Gary Neal, neither of which can offer the defensive presence of the physically superior Kidd Gilchrist.

Noah Vonleh has seen action in only two games. Jeff Taylor, the player who would best fill the void left by Kidd-Gilchrist, has not played at all with his domestic violence suspension. He won’t appear for about ten more games.

Two, the three point shooting still is not there. Al Jefferson is averaging twenty points per game, but his offensive support needs to knock down the shots left by his paint presence. While Marvin Williams and Gary Neal are shooting bear 40% from three, no one else is except Hairston in limited minutes. To make three point shooting effective, you need to shoot above 34% from the three. Right now, Kemba Walker sits at 28%, Lance Stephenson sits at 20%, while Henderson is closer at 31.6%.

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  • Three, the team needs to meld more. This idea is limited by the fact that people have been injured, but it is worth remembering that this group really has never played together even now. Their play is bound to improve by the end of the year. They just need to ride this out.

    Date: November 26, 2014
    Time: 7:00 PM
    TV: SportSouth
    Venue: Time Warner Arena

    Opponent: Portland Trail Blazers (11-3)

    THE FIVE:
    C Robin Lopez
    F LaMarcus Aldridge
    F Nicolas Batum
    G Wesley Matthews
    G Damian Lillard