Hornets’ win over Pistons lays out blueprint for Charlotte’s long-term success

A blowout win could galvanize a franchise, and Brandon Miller’s standout tip-in is key to delivering. Charlotte Hornets Their second home win of the 2024-25 season was the type of game that could improve the Hornets’ dire situation in the first two weeks of the NBA season. A raucous Spectrum Center crowd cheered on hero Brandon Miller and his Hornets teammates, but the chants for the plays made throughout the night by Charlotte’s big trio of LaMelo Ball, Miles Bridges and Miller and their supporting cast paint the picture. How can the Hornets be successful this season?

It’s becoming difficult to find adequate words to describe LaMelo Ball’s early season accomplishments. Charlotte’s energetic leading lady single-handedly kept the Hornets alive in the fourth quarter with her Mary Poppins-like tricks from behind the arc. He can shoot the ball from either foot at any time, from any point on the court, regardless of who is in front of him, and his deep shooting skills have placed him in a pantheon that includes NBA stars like Steph Curry. and Damian Lillard. It was very good from the city centre. What’s more, Wednesday night’s win was a full-on realization of the LaMelo Ball experience.

It was far from his greatest statistical performance, but Ball stood out on Wednesday night with a spectacular performance that will go down as one of the most impressive of his young career. The ball was completely under control. He impacted the win on both ends, serving as the engine for Charlotte’s off-the-cuff offense while playing solid defense without fouling the Pistons’ turbo-charged backcourt. LaMelo’s fourth-quarter touchdown run will grab the headlines, but he’s made play after play for his teammates while limiting ridiculous turnovers and quick fouls in a top-notch performance over the first two weeks of the season. LaMelo Ball, who played tonight and had 25 points, 8 assists and 6 rebounds, is an All-NBA prospect and the main force that will carry Charlotte’s supercharged offense into contention.

Tonight was Bridges’ best performance under Charles Lee. Hornets coach spoke before the match He talked about what he wants to see from Miles tonight and going forward, and the veteran struggled against his hometown team. “I think he had the same mentality offensively. He’s doing great with his running habits and trying to get out of it, but offensively he’s just learning his new spots on the field. The message I got is you can hit him like this: ‘I need you to be decisive, I need you to be aggressive, and I need you to be assertive on every catch. I need you to be sure.’ Message received.

Bridges showed aggression in the first half en route to the cup (check), moving to the free throw line as the Hornets’ most consistent source of offense in the early hours of tonight’s game. Their return in 2024 has been tarnished by offensive inactivity and a tendency to fly off the ball, but Bridges was decisive (checked) tonight. He had a quick trigger ability on jump shots, but had an even quicker first step when going downhill. Bridges played with confidence (check) on offense and that gave Charlotte the spark they needed to get through offensive dry spells tonight. His fearlessness in attacking Detroit’s strong front line of Isaiah Stewart and Jalen Duren set the tone for the Hornets.

Last year’s top scorer is undoubtedly Hornets’ third option on offense We’re behind Ball and Miller, but we’ve yet to see much of his scoring prowess this season. Tonight, Bridges’ offensive game was on full display, adding a new dimension to Charlotte’s outside-in offense that will continue to level up as he settles into his new role as the Hornets’ third banana.

Tonight was far from MIller’s best performance as a professional basketball player, but it was also exactly that. A professional night.

The sophomore guard struggled to knock down shots (3-of-11 from long distance), but every shot Miller made carried weight. His long-range shots came just in time to stop the Pistons’ breakthrough or start a Hornets’ run, and while his range can be difficult to find, Miller’s ever-present gravity is a force in itself. His shooting ability has opened up driving lanes for his teammates, and that gas will only continue to flow when Miller dials in his jumper.

His game-winner was a perfect encapsulation of the kind of big plays Miller was designed to make.

After a costly turnover that allowed Detroit to take the lead, many players would sulk and consider tonight’s game a lost cause. Not Miller. He kept his chin up (and relied on his experienced teammates and coaching staff to adjust his attitude) and let instinct take over to hit the Piston, trying to leave him out with a swim move to grab the offensive board and put away the game-winner. glass next to the ringer. It’s the kind of play you can’t teach, and it’s the kind of play Miller has the ability to make due to his size, athleticism and IQ.

Charlotte Hornets’ success in 2024-25 will be the work of these three players. Ball, Bridges, and Miller are good for the biggest moments of the night (like the four break-oops they put together tonight) but those Top 10 plays have to eventually translate into winning basketball. That happened tonight, laying out the blueprint for how each of the three players must play for the Hornets to compete in the future. The atmosphere at the Spectrum Center was electric and the excitement was at its peak on the backs of three of Charlotte’s greats.

What if they continue to develop the habits they showed against Detroit? So tonight is just the beginning of a special development in the Queen City.

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