The Hornets have lost five straight games and their offense looks broken. This team needs a spark before Friday night against the Boston Celtics. The 3-6 record is more than a number; it signals that the young core struggles to find rhythm. While Boston celebrates a 6-2 start, Charlotte fans are watching their squad fade away. The gap between these two teams grew wider on Wednesday night.
Shooting Woes Are Real
Brandon Miller cannot keep missing shots if the Hornets want to win. He went 2-for-15 from the floor against the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday. That includes a terrible 1-for-10 night from three-point range. Coach Charles Lee tried to stay positive about Miller’s defense. But the offense needs to fire on all cylinders to beat a top team like Boston. The whole team made only 12 three-pointers in that loss. Grayson Allen hit five of them, but that was not enough. Team-wide shooting issues continue to haunt this squad despite some good looks.
According to Field Level Media, the Hornets generated several high-quality opportunities for one another. Yet they could not convert those chances into points. Naz Reid did score a season-high 28 points on 11-for-18 shooting. The rest of the team simply could not keep up. When the offense stalls, the defense has to work twice as hard. That is a heavy lift against a Boston team with this much depth.
Boston Is Ready to Strike
The Celtics are a different beast when they play without Jayson Tatum. They beat the Milwaukee Bucks 109-102 on Wednesday night. Paul George scored 25 points and Derrick White added 24 points. White hit 11 of those points in the fourth quarter alone. Boston proved they can win even when their star rests. Tatum sat out for needed rest, so he will likely play Friday. The Hornets have to be ready for a team that scores in bunches. Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said his team needs the best version of George to be great. George delivered that version against Milwaukee.
According to Yahoo Sports, the Celtics could be without Payton Pritchard on Friday. He left Wednesday’s game with an eye injury. That is a blow to Boston’s bench scoring. But the Hornets cannot count on Boston missing players. Boston has won six of its eight games this season. The Hornets must find a way to stop their momentum. A five-game losing streak is hard to break against a team like this.
Can Charlotte Bounce Back?
The Hornets have to stop beating themselves. Sion James admitted that after the loss to Brooklyn. He said the team showed flashes of how they are supposed to play. Now they just need to be more consistent. The Nets beat them 114-104 at home. That loss extended the slide and hurt morale. They started the season with hope but are now in a hole.
Friday night offers a chance to reset. The game tips off at 7 p.m. ET. Boston is coming off a big win. Charlotte is coming off a loss. If they do not, Boston will punish them for every mistake. The Celtics believe in their depth and their locker room. White stated that they must go out there and secure a victory.
