Charlotte Hornets: Two Game Explosion After Road Trip Struggles

Jan 20, 2017; Charlotte, NC, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard Kemba Walker (15) drives to the basket as he is defended by Toronto Raptors guard Norman Powell (24) and forward Pascal Siakam (43) during the second half of the game at the Spectrum Center. Hornets win 113-78. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 20, 2017; Charlotte, NC, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard Kemba Walker (15) drives to the basket as he is defended by Toronto Raptors guard Norman Powell (24) and forward Pascal Siakam (43) during the second half of the game at the Spectrum Center. Hornets win 113-78. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Charlotte Hornets lost five hard games on the road, but sometimes coming home solves everything.

If there was a belief that the Charlotte Hornets had figured things out then that belief was sent for nose dive after the Hornets lost every single game on their road trip. That also cost them the ground they had earned in the playoff race. Naturally then the Hornets responded by going on a two game win streak where the margin of victory has been over twenty points each time.

The secret to each victory has been a little different. The Portland Trail Blazers came into Charlotte at a moment when the team needed a respite. Fortunately the Hornets were able to get it over Nicolas Batum’s old team.

The savior in that 107-85 victory was Roy Hibbert. Hibbert had been maligned for not reaching expectations earlier in the year. One night does not necessarily rectify that either, but if it is prologue to what we could see later in the year then so much the better. The backup center scored sixteen points on the undermanned Trail Blazer frontcourt. He was doing so well that a pass of his went into the basket.

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Tonight, the Hornets were back in action against the Toronto Raptors. The Hornets had not played well against the Raptors all year, but they did get the home court for a second straight game. This time the team did not get a unexpected surge from Hibbert, but played more to the script they had used to win a lot of their games.

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Kemba Walker scored thirty-two and did not play much after the game had gotten out of hand. The Charlotte bench proved deeper than the Toronto bench with Frank Kaminsky and Ramon Sessions offering production when the starters were out. The Hornets (22-21) rode a thirty point lead to a 113-78 victory. It was just another reason why Walker should end up on the All-Star team even after he was not selected as a starter.

The Hornets play the Nets tomorrow night to try and regain that ground they lost in the playoff race.