Stunning against the Pelicans, the Hornets climb to seventh heaven!

THE Hornets it never stops buzzing! Struggling in the first half, Charlotte rallied to win their seventh straight against the lowly Pelicans, but determined to deal with the breakdown. But that was without counting on the energy of this group, carried by the hardened steel LaMelo Ball and this crazy streak that will therefore continue at least until Thursday!

Despite the Hornets’ good start marked by Kon Knuepel’s 3-pointer and Moussa Diabate’s dunk, Charlotte suffered a quick blow after LaMelo Ball’s short outing was hit in the head. Trey Murphy III, Zion Williamson and Derrick Quinn took advantage of the opportunity to impose their physical dimension and take the lead, between the spectacular flight of the first and the authoritative dunk of the rookie. Three-pointers by Herb Jones and Jeremy Fierce helped widen the gap in favor of the Pelicans as the first act drew to a close (23-30).

With confidence, James Borrego’s men then continued, going as far as to be 22 lengths in front! Trey Murphy III and Yves Missy were convincing, while the trio of Alvarado-Jones-Bey increased the deficit to 3 points. Enough to go on a 13-4 run and then an 8-0 run capped by five points from Trey Murphy III to make it 34-56! Enough to quell the enthusiasm of the Spectrum Center, but not the appetite of these hornets! LaMelo Ball worked hard before the break to get his team back in the running, with two 3-pointers, then two layups, including one with the extra bonus from Derrick Quinn (49-61).

LaMelo Ball broke loose after the break

The interior of the Pelicans responded with two shots and a three-pointer before the break, providing a comfortable mattress for their team (49-64). But Charlotte was far from having her last word! 10-0 went as soon as they came back from the locker room, which culminated in a lane between LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges, then Brandon Miller’s three-pointer quickly confirmed (59-64). Trey Murphy III therefore had to multiply his exploits to delay the deadline, until another blow from the locals, this time delivered by Colin Sexton, the great architect of the 9-2 dunk of Ryan Kalkbrenner (78-79).

The Hornets’ rush eventually devastated the Pelicans in the final act, started by two more dunks signed by the Ball-Kalkbrenner tandem to finally give the locals the lead (83-82). Novak then took the spotlight by multiplying the positive sequences, from his good save on Yvos Misi to his counter on Derrick Quinn, including his shot, his two throws and the decisive pass for Kon Knuepel’s three-pointer, which overturned the fans who were just waiting for it (92-85).

Brandon Miller scored an incredible 16-3 for the Hornets with a mid-range shot and increased the lead to +9 at the start of the “new time” (94-85). That same Brandon Miller sealed the suspense with a dunk on a counterattack,

WHAT TO REMEMBER

Hornets won 7/7. They did it! Despite a very complicated start, the Hornets continue their good streak. They match the last best streak of seven straight from 2015-2016, when North Carolina’s franchise still belonged to Michael Jordan and Kemba Walker (now a staff member) was the delight of the Spectrum Center. Ten years ago, Charlotte won its seventh against the Rockets before losing to Dallas. This time, Charles Lee’s team will try out a roller coaster ride this Thursday…on the Houston floor. A real challenge!

LaMelo Ball is stubborn! An incredible scene at the start of the match on the Hornets bench. As the ball went out of bounds, LaMelo Ball dove to try to save it, hitting his coach Charles Lee in the face! The clash was impressive and the Hornets’ leader took the brunt of it, spending long moments on the ground before heading to the dressing room. We thought we wouldn’t see him again during the match, but Lonca Ball’s younger brother quickly returned to the floor. In the process, he again fell victim to contact in the face, errantly straying the hands of Jeremy Fears, before responding with a 3-pointer, as if to make sure his eyes were in front of the holes. His dunk that gave Charlotte the lead early in the fourth quarter was one of the highlights of the game.

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Ryan Kalkbrenner in Booster Mode. The transition to the position of 5 newcomers did not go unnoticed. Between the end of the third quarter and the beginning of the fourth, the “reserve” Moussa Diabate was valuable, both in defense and in attack, in the crucial moment when Charlotte was able to take the lead. 10 points, 7 rebounds and 3 blocks that will carry weight when it comes time to count!

The return of James Borrego. 2018-2022 Hornets coach James Borrego returns to the Spectrum Center as a head coach for the first time since his departure. An assistant for two seasons with the Pelicans, he succeeded Willie Green at the start of the year. That’s how he helped LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges, who were already his leaders during his time in North Carolina, shine, and he has to be thrilled to see this team finally realize its potential starting in 2026. Even if he would undoubtedly sign to leave North Carolina with a win…

Day and night for Sadik Beg. The author of an impressive outing during the previous match in Philadelphia (34 points on 12/19 shooting), the Pelicans wing center completely missed the Hornets floor, finishing the match with 8 points on 2/12 shooting. He even ended his free-throw streak at the worst possible time, at 98-90 with just over two minutes left, stopping on 17 straight shots. The leaders of New Orleans have not been able to perform at the same time since the beginning of the season, and this can be seen in light of the disastrous record of the franchise from Louisiana (13v-39d).

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How to read statistics? Min = Minute; Shots = Shots Successful / Shots Attempted; 3 points = 3 points / attempt 3 points; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; O = offensive rebound; D=defensive jump; T = Total number of jumps; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal mistakes; Int = intercepts; Bp = lost balls; Ct: Against; +/- = point difference when the player is on the court; Points = Points; Rating: player rating calculated based on positive actions – negative actions.