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Charlotte Begins Brief Two-Game Homestand Against Miami Heat

  • Charlotte Hornets (22-21) vs. Miami Heat (22-22)
  • Friday, March 26, 2021 at 8 PM EST (Spectrum Center)
  • Fox Sports Southeast, FOX Sports GO App and WFNZ 610 AM or 102.5 FM
  • Last time out: Hornets won, 129-121 (OT) on Feb. 1, 2021 in Miami, FL

Charlotte Salvages West Coast Trip with Back-to-Back Victories

Even after three blowout losses and watching LaMelo Ball head to the sidelines with a fractured wrist, the Hornets managed to close out their five-game road trip with back-to-back wins over the Spurs and Rockets earlier this week. The squad posted a defensive rating of 123.3 across those defeats before tightening things up in Texas with a mark of 104.9, while allowing just 97 points in each contest. San Antonio and Houston combined to shoot 42% and 33% from three against Charlotte, with the latter taking home both wins despite forcing just 20 total turnovers.

Backcourt Play Setting Tone for Hornets’ Half-Court Offense

With no Ball for the foreseeable future, Devonte’ Graham has returned to the starting lineup and looked sharp on Wednesday night with 21 points on 6-of-9 shooting from long range. Terry Rozier also had a smooth 25 points (9-of-14) and reserve guard Malik Monk just narrowly missed joining the duo in the 20-point-game department with 19 points, four assists and two steals. While the pace (93.25; 100.49 on the year) was down dramatically in the very small two-game sample size without Ball, seeing the Hornets operate a highly efficient half-court offense (121.1 rating; 112.1 overall is 17th in NBA per CleaningtheGlass.com) is really encouraging.

Heat Playing Streaky Basketball Over the Past Two Months

Beginning with a loss to the Hornets on Feb. 1, the Heat dropped two straight outings, won the next four, lost three in a row, won 11 of 12 and have since come up short in the last four contests heading into Thursday’s home game against Portland. Injuries and Health and Safety protocols are probably the primary reason why Miami has been so up-and-down, although they strikingly have the NBA’s second-worst clutch-time offense (95.5) this season. The Hornets certainly witnessed this first-hand when these sides met last month, holding the Heat to just two points in the final 3:11 of regulation in the comeback overtime win.

Preview Quote

“We got two good wins and we’re excited to go home. We’ve been on the road for a long time and we’re ready to come home, sleep in our own beds and come out in front of our fans and try and get a win again. Everybody had to buy in. We lost one of our best players in LaMelo, so everybody has stepped up on both ends of the floor and played together.” – PJ Washington

Final Thoughts

The Ball injury announcement was certainly a significant blow to the Hornets on Sunday night, but thus far, the team has adapted with a slowed-down, more methodical offense complimented with a superb defensive showing. Continuing to adjust to the adversity and getting the rest of the rotation to step up will be crucial for the Hornets as they kick off a short two-game homestand with the always-formidable Miami Heat.

Additional Notes

F KZ Okpala (Health and Safety Protocols) was listed as out for Miami heading into Thursday night’s home game vs. Portland. F Jimmy Butler (stomach illness) and G Goran Dragić (lower back spasms) were listed as questionable… Charlotte has won the last two head-to-head meetings with the Heat after dropping the previous three… This will be the Hornets’ first home game against Miami since March 6, 2019… The Heat is 3-3 this season on the second half of back-to-back sets.