“Sweep” avoided for the Hornets. While the latter had lost three times this season, each time with at least 10 points difference, the Charlotte players beat the Magic last night. The satisfaction that the Hornets can display is equal to the disappointment felt on the Floridian side.
Fourth in their conference tied with the Knicks, Jamahl Mosley's men arrived on the strength of three straight victories (Grizzlies, Blazers and especially Pelicans). Knowing that they have one of the best records in the league against teams with a winning percentage below 50%: 27 victories for only 7 defeats.
“ We must be mature enough not to get fired up after a good victory (editor’s note: in New Orleans). We must know that we must reproduce this effort again and again », demands Paolo Banchero, logically not very cheerful at a press conference.
Last night, his team got off to a bad start by conceding 38 points in the first quarter, finding themselves trailing by 15 points. “ It's not us, I think everyone understands, that we have to play better. You can't start a game like that in the NBA », Regrets Markelle Fultz.
Jamahl Mosley takes the blame
The main beneficiary of this porous defense was Brandon Miller: 26 of his 32 points scored in the first period, without missing a single shot during the first 24 minutes (9/9 for 11/13 in the end). With five other players at 10 points or more, Charlotte signed the best offensive performance by a Magic opponent since mid-February and a 127-unit exit from the Thunder.
What did his team lack to get off to a better start, especially in defense? “ All “, retorts Jamahl Mosley, adding: “ The intensity. But it's my fault. It's my fault. I have to better prepare them for what they were going to see from a team that, the week before, had beaten a very good basketball team (editor’s note: the Cavs) and had played very close matches. So I have to prepare them for this situation. »
Logic respected at home
Like his leader Banchero, the technician considers that the Florida team cannot afford to relax, especially at this stage of the season. “ Our way of approaching the match, […] it doesn't matter if the opponent is above 50% wins or below, a playoff team… We must continue to display a level of concentration and intensity in what we do. »
His team will try not to “miss” this Sunday with the reception of the Bulls. A team certainly qualified for the “play-in”, but which also displays a negative record. “ It's a (fat) match (and it's good) to be back at home in front of the fans. It's an opportunity to win after a tough loss », Banchero displays. At its Kia Center, the Magic have never lost to a team with 50% fewer wins (16v-0d).
| Shots | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Players | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Bp | Int | Ct | Party | Pts |
| Paolo Banchero | 74 | 34.8 | 46.1 | 35.1 | 71.3 | 1.0 | 5.8 | 6.8 | 5.3 | 3.1 | 0.9 | 0.6 | 1.9 | 22.4 |
| Franz Wagner | 68 | 32.7 | 48.1 | 28.7 | 84.5 | 1.0 | 4.3 | 5.3 | 3.8 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 2.3 | 19.6 |
| Jalen Suggs | 69 | 26.9 | 46.5 | 40.1 | 75.6 | 0.7 | 2.4 | 3.1 | 2.7 | 1.9 | 1.4 | 0.6 | 2.7 | 12.4 |
| Cole Anthony | 75 | 22.8 | 43.6 | 34.1 | 82.0 | 0.8 | 3.2 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 1.6 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 2.2 | 11.8 |
| Wendell Carter, Jr. | 49 | 26.0 | 52.9 | 38.3 | 68.9 | 2.0 | 5.2 | 7.2 | 1.8 | 1.3 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 2.1 | 11.3 |
| Moe Wagner | 74 | 17.8 | 60.3 | 34.3 | 80.3 | 1.5 | 2.9 | 4.4 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 2.0 | 10.9 |
| Markelle Fultz | 37 | 21.1 | 45.8 | 21.4 | 64.3 | 1.3 | 1.9 | 3.2 | 2.9 | 1.2 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 1.6 | 7.4 |
| Gary Harris | 49 | 23.4 | 45.2 | 36.8 | 75.6 | 0.4 | 1.2 | 1.7 | 1.6 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 1.7 | 7.1 |
| Jonathan Isaac | 53 | 15.5 | 52.3 | 39.0 | 72.2 | 1.2 | 3.1 | 4.4 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.7 | 1.2 | 1.1 | 6.9 |
| Goga Bitadze | 57 | 16.4 | 61.1 | 15.4 | 65.9 | 1.9 | 3.0 | 4.9 | 1.4 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 1.2 | 1.8 | 5.3 |
| Anthony Black | 65 | 17.4 | 45.9 | 38.5 | 61.3 | 0.5 | 1.6 | 2.1 | 1.4 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 1.7 | 4.7 |
| Caleb Houstan | 56 | 14.1 | 39.5 | 38.0 | 79.2 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 1.1 | 4.4 |
| Joe Ingles | 62 | 17.1 | 42.7 | 42.3 | 86.7 | 0.3 | 1.8 | 2.1 | 3.0 | 0.9 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 1.4 | 4.3 |
| Trevelin Queen | 13 | 12.5 | 36.8 | 17.6 | 75.0 | 0.2 | 1.2 | 1.5 | 1.4 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 1.2 | 3.1 |
| Chuma Okeke | 43 | 9.8 | 35.8 | 28.8 | 57.1 | 0.4 | 1.4 | 1.8 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 2.4 |
| Kevin Harris | 2 | 3.0 | 66.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.5 | 2.0 |
| Jett Howard | 14 | 3.7 | 34.8 | 27.8 | 50.0 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 1.6 |
| Admiral Schofield | 21 | 3.8 | 37.5 | 33.3 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.6 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 1.1 |
