Miles Bridges showcased his prowess with 24 points and 10 rebounds, while Brandon Miller contributed 23 points as the Charlotte Hornets dealt another setback to the Brooklyn Nets’ playoff aspirations, securing a 110-99 victory on Saturday night.
Nick Richards notched 15 points and 11 rebounds, while Vasa Micic added 12 points and 10 assists for the Hornets (16-48), who halted a six-game losing streak. “We came out with real good energy tonight,” remarked Richards.
Cam Thomas, returning from a six-game absence due to an ankle injury, made an impactful comeback, scoring 31 points in just 30 minutes, albeit under a minutes restriction. However, despite Thomas’ efforts, the Nets (25-39) found themselves trailing by 4 1/2 games behind the Atlanta Hawks for the 10th and final play-in spot in the Eastern Conference after suffering their third loss in four games.
“We have to take care of our business and win these last games and hopefully things will turn around and go in our favor,” Thomas expressed. “But we have to stick to it and keep playing.”
Thomas emphasized the need for improvement in Brooklyn’s man-to-man defense, pinpointing instances where Hornets players, particularly Micic and Miller, exploited defensive lapses to score easy baskets. “It’s effort, man, that’s all of it,” stressed Thomas. “
… Giving up straight-line drives is hard, and it puts a lot of pressure on our defense because then they can just spread it out and make wide-open 3s, and catch-and-shoot 3s. We have to take pride in just keeping someone in front of us.”
Although Thomas provided a spark for the Nets in the first quarter with 17 points on 7-of-8 shooting, Charlotte rallied back to seize a 63-52 halftime lead fueled by Bridges and Miller. The Hornets capitalized on defensive breakdowns from Brooklyn in the second half, extending their lead to 12 points.
This victory marked a redemption for the Hornets, who, unlike the previous night against Washington, held firm in the face of a fourth-quarter challenge from the Nets, securing the win with crucial baskets from Miller and Bridges.
“That’s what I said to the guys: ‘We’re in the same place,’” reflected Hornets coach Steve Clifford. “Against Washington, we kind of lost our way in the fourth quarter at both ends. Our offense and defense was awful. Tonight, we weren’t great offensively, but our defense was great.”
While Thomas made a notable return for the Nets, Day’Ron Sharpe also returned after a two-game absence due to a wrist injury. However, Cam Johnson remained sidelined with an ankle sprain, while Charlotte had to navigate the game without six injured players.
