Eight Charlotte Hornets scored in double figures and the team recorded 35 assists in a comeback win over the Wizards.

The Summary

The Hornets chucked up a whole lot of threes and missed a whole lot of them early in the game. The shots they got inside the arc weren’t much better quality either. The offensive struggles let a much more motivated Wizards team take an early lead. The jumpers finally started falling in the second quarter, but the Wizards didn’t slow down and led going into halftime.

Brandon Miller tied the game with a three on the first possession of the second half. Kon Knueppel and LaMelo Ball added their own over the next couple minutes. The teams traded baskets over the course of the quarter with the Hornets edging ahead by two heading into the fourth.

The Hornets strung together some stops and LaMelo strung together some buckets to pull ahead. Miller and Knueppel each added a pair of their own threes as the Hornets ran away with the game. LaMelo hit Miles Bridges with a baseline lob to force a Wizards timeout and effectively end the game.

The Good

The Hornets did a good job locking in after a very lackadaisical start to the game. Everyone got involved and there were several possessions in the second half with a bunch of quick extra passes that led to wide open looks. 35 assists on 42 made baskets and very aesthetically pleasing basketball.

Eight Hornets scored in double figures, all five of the starters along with Tidjane Salaün, Collin Sexton, and Sion James. It was perfect unselfish basketball.

Brandon Miller has 20 or more in four of the last five games. His efficiency has been trending up and he’s looking more like the player he is supposed to be.

Speaking of players looking like they’re supposed to, LaMelo has been playing very under control. He controlled the game and felt like he deserved more than nine assists.

Moussa Diabate got the start with both Ryan Kalkbrenner and Mason Plumlee on the shelf. He responded by posting a career high 18 rebounds and matching the disruptiveness he brought against the Cavs the night before. He made all six of his shots for a double double.

Kon is just Kon at this point. He splashes threes and scores around 20 points every night.

The Bad

It looked like the Hornets were doomed to another letdown against a bad team. They fell behind by double digits in the first half and didn’t look super thrilled to be out there. Credit to them for fighting the ship and asserting themselves in the second half, but at some point they have to stop coming out flat against weaker teams.

What’s Next

Merry Christmas to all who celebrate. Enjoy some good NBA games while the NFL does a backup quarterback showcase. The Hornets will be back on Friday with a visit to the Magic.

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