This has to be the most Charlotte Hornets posts that I have done here on Calvin's Commentary. Three in a row? Got to be a record. Oh well, record I will because I'm happy. The Charlotte Hornets beat the struggling Houston Rockets 122-97 last night, getting another win without LaMelo Ball and looking like a dominant team that is poised to make the playoffs in the process. It was truly something great to witness.
The Hornets are still trying out new adjustments to their lineup since Ball's wrist injury. Last night, Devonte' Graham started at point guard and he shot 6-of-9 from three-point range. After being tied at 26 at the end of the first quarter, the Bugs found themselves up 58-55 at halftime. This was in large part due to the team shooting 9-of-19 from three in the first half. The Hornets finished at 18-of-38 from distance for the game.
The Hornets opened up the third quarter on a 10-2 run. They outscored the Rockets 35-15 in the period and at the start of the fourth quarter, they had a 93-70 lead. It was bassically smooth sailing from there. Terry Rozier scored 25 points to lead the Bugs and Malik Monk added 19 points off the bench.
With the victory, the Hornets improve to 22-21 on the season and they currently sit in fourth place in the eastern conference behind the Miami Heat. They also break a 15-game losing streak in Houston, getting their first win there since December of 2004 when the team was called the Bobcats. Gotta represent for my Charlotte Hornets every time they get a win, especially now. If they continue to take advantage of the teams they are "supposed" to beat, the future looks okay.
As for the Rockets, they quickly return to the loss column after beating the Toronto Raptors on Monday. Before that, they had lost 20 straight games. This is the NBA's second-longest losing streak since the Philadelphia 76ers' 28-game skid in 2014-15. At 12-31, the Houston Rockets definitely appear to be a team that is searching for answers.
UP NEXT
Up next for the Charlotte Hornets, they take on the Miami Heat on Friday night as they return home after a five-game road trip out west. Last season, Miami won the east and represented the conference against LeBron James, Anthony Davis and the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA finals. This year the Heat are 22-22 and don't appear to be the same team exactly, but they are still a dangerous team. Apparently, the amount of fans in the Spectrum Center for this game has increased to 5,000 masked and socially distanced souls, up from 3,000 for the last two home games. I won't be there, but I'll be listening intently on the radio to see if the Bugs can steal a third victory in a row. Would be good to win against their division rivals.
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