The Hornets have a quick opportunity for revenge as they take on the pesky Chicago Bulls once again starting at 7 p.m. ET on Friday, Oct. 26 in Charlotte.
Wednesday night’s defeat marked the Hornets’ sixth loss in seven meetings with their Central Division foes. In their last two games, Charlotte has struggled particularly on the defensive end, posting a rating of 121.3 compared to a 101.3 mark its first three outings of the season.
Second-year guard Malik Monk has seen a strong uptick in playing time this year and has responded with averages of 12.6 points, 2.0 rebounds and 2.2 assists. His shooting efficiency is slightly improved from both the field and the three, and hopefully he can provide a spark off the Hornets bench after going 2-of-8 for nine points and a -12 plus-minus at the United Center.
Facing an injured-depleted rotation, the Bulls have plenty of players gunning for minutes and Antonio Blakeney certainly fits that mold. The reigning NBA G League Rookie of the Year, Blakeney is an athletic two-guard and like Monk, has an offensive game predicated on spot shooting and driving to the basket.
Interesting Note – Kemba Walker tallied his 200th career block on Wednesday night against the Bulls. He is the 10th different player 6-1 or shorter since blocks became an official NBA statistic in 1973 to reach this milestone and the fourth active player to do so (Bledsoe, Lowry, Felton).
Classic Fact – In 2005, Emeka Okafor became the second player in franchise history to win the NBA’s Rookie of the Year Award. Chicago’s Ben Gordon – a college teammate of Okafor’s at Connecticut – finished second.