CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Why can’t the Charlotte Hornets play every game like they did Sunday against the Brooklyn Nets?
Coach James Borrego understands that’s not realistic. However, he wants the attitude his team brought to a 106-104 upset to be recognized and replicated more often.
“That’s what the frustration is with coaches: It’s like, ‘Well, why can you do it in that game and not in the other game?’ “ Borrego said following practice Tuesday.
“The goal, for me, is just to get our guys to be more consistent. I said this to start the season: You’ve got to become more consistent in your focus and effort, no matter if you’re playing the worst team in the league or the best team in the league. It’s about the habits and the consistency.”
In their first three games, the Hornets (1-2) epitomized a young team that didn’t have a normal offseason ramp-up of summer league and team pick-up games: They were awful in the first half of a season-opening loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, a little better in a home loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, then stunningly good in an upset of the Nets, who were the hottest team in the NBA.
Borrego knew that integrating two significant pieces — free agent Gordon Hayward and third overall draft pick LaMelo Ball — into a team so young was going to be challenging in a truncated preseason. The packed upcoming schedule is about to amplify that problem: Ten games in 16 nights, starting in Dallas on Wednesday against a Mavericks team that just beat the Los Angeles Clippers by 51 points.
Borrego had an interesting answer Tuesday how that absurd score — Mavs 124, Clippers 73 — should register on his players.
“I hope we have appropriate fear tomorrow. We did against Brooklyn,” Borrego said. “It forced us to play in a more urgent, competitive fashion.”
———
Playing 10 games in 16 days is busy, but not outrageously so in the NBA. However, the circumstances here aren’t normal. The Hornets went nine months without playing, and for the most part not scrimmaging. They were not part of the NBA restart, and weren’t allowed to practice at Spectrum Center beyond a two-week mini-camp in October and early November.
Borrego anticipated a variance of conditioning, and it happened: Starting power forward/center P.J. Washington reported for training camp in poor shape and Borrego criticized that publicly. Malik Monk missed a week of training camp due to a positive COVID-19 test. Monk did not play in the first three games, in part because the Hornets are deeper this season, particularly at the wing positions
Washington suffered a minor ankle sprain at the end of the Nets game, but was able to practice Tuesday. Monk missed practice with a migraine headache. Both made the trip to Dallas.
The crammed schedule is going to make practice virtually non-existent the next two weeks. As the NBA adage goes, starters can either have fresh legs for games or practice, not both.
“This is really about being efficient with practice time and (gameday) shootarounds,” Borrego said. “I can’t plan out (minutes distribution for) the next 10 games. It’s going to be game-to-game, as far as how guys feel. This is not about pushing guys and getting (them) injured. We’ve got to be smart.”
Borrego’s starters — Washington, Gordon Hayward, Terry Rozier, Devonte Graham and Bismack Biyombo — each average 28 or more minutes per game. Borrego says he’s found playing guys for longer than five-minute stints is a bigger issue than normal.
That’s reflected in the rotation: Borrego has used at least 10 players in all three games, when an NBA rotation is typically eight or nine players. Not only won’t that reduce in this stretch, but Borrego might use players he hasn’t so far.
———
Only three players under full contract (not two-ways) haven’t played so far this season: Shooting guard Monk and rookie big men Vernon Carey and Nick Richards.
With Cody Zeller out at least a month with a broken hand, Borrego might have to find some minutes for one or both of those rookies. Biyombo and Washington (in small-ball) have been the only centers in use.
Monk, who thrived for a month last February, is on the outside of a rotation loaded with wing options.
“I’ve got no issues with Malik. He’s doing everything that he can,” Borrego said.
“It’s more about the group around him, that have solidified themselves. But Malik has been professional, he’s been working, his conditioning is there.”
