Monday night, the Charlotte Hornets started their 2021-2022 season with their first preseason game against the Oklahoma Thunder.
Even though it’s the preseason, there are things you can take away from these games as the team builds towards the regular season – which is about two weeks away. Here are some quick observations from the Hornets’ 113-97 win over the Thunder.
Lamelo Ball Looked Sharp:
Kicking off his sophomore campaign, Lamelo Ball was sharp in his 21 minutes with 15 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists. His progression from year one to year two will be something many eyes across the NBA will be watching. What will the 2021 NBA Rookie of The Year do next?
Miles Bridges/PJ Washington Position Change:
Miles Bridges started at the power forward today; a position that PJ Washington filled last year. Miles was solid in 20 minutes with 13 points and 5 rebounds. In his new role as the back up center, PJ Washington scored 14 points and grabbed 5 rebounds. PJ shot 3/5 from 3. Expect both to be on the floor when teams go small.
James Bouknight Gets to the Rim:
In his first game with the Hornets, the rookie first-round pick James Bouknight scored 20 points on 7/12 shooting. Bouknight showed his ability to get to the rim and finish on several drives to the basket. He will play mostly at the 2-guard position, but did play some minutes as the primary ball handler. Despite a few rookie mistakes (a bad turnover or two ), overall it was a good first game for Bouknight.
Kai Jones’ Limited Minutes:
If you were looking forward to seeing a lot of Kai Jones you were probably disappointed. Jones only played 8 minutes and didn’t enter the game until the 4th quarter. Kai is clearly going to need some time to develop. Patience will be needed for the Hornets’ other 1st round draft pick.
The Charlotte will continue its march towards the regular season as they play the Memphis Grizzlies Thursday at The Spectrum Center.