2021 Hornets Playoff Watch

[luciano-davidwesley]

Personally, I think the play-in tournament is stupid.

That is what the regular season is for. A long play-in tournament for the playoffs.

I agree 100%. The play-in concept sucks. It makes an already long regular season even less meaningful.

[BigSlam]

Personally, I think the play-in tournament is stupid.

That is what the regular season is for. A long play-in tournament for the playoffs.

I agree 100%. The play-in concept sucks. It makes an already long regular season even less meaningful.

Also agree.

It just feels like an additional revenue stream for the NBA and really has nothing to do with creating parity or equality.

Hell, 6-8 of the actual top teams have zero chance in beating the power teams, so what chance does a couple of sympathy play-in teams have?

I really, really want us to be in the playoffs, any playoffs, but because we have earned it - not because we got the participation ribbon.

[Hornet Mania]

The play-in is just experimentation for the sake of experimentation. As Slam noted, if teams 7-8 historically had a chance to make a serious run (like Wild Card teams in the NFL having a few champions) it would be one thing but as it is this is just dragging out appearances for squads that are going to get the **** kicked out of them for a week and then go home.

One of the worst aspects of Adam Silver is his idea that what the league desperately needs is new gimmicks (play-in, midseason tourney, all-star draft, weird all-star game scoring system and ending), the dude just can't leave anything well enough alone.

[yosemiteben]

Guess I'm the outlier, but I like it. I think fringe fans will be more interested in a single elimination round compared to a bunch of seven game series.

[CuseMayne]

Just looked at our remaining schedule on ESPN and looks like our last two games (both away) are 1pm starts. Typically that's been bad for us

[Liver_Pooty]

Miles ruled out vs Knicks

[Rich4114]

It sounds like we could get Miles back for the play in and Gordon back for the start of the 2023 season

[euphorbus]

Six games left. I would hate to see the Hornets fall out of eighth position. Realistically, we can go 3-3. Let's get it wrapped up before meeting Washington, currently in ninth place, in the last game of the regular season.

That did not happen, but the team can still win the last two and guarantee eighth position. Washington plays Cleveland tonight, then Charlotte on Sunday. The Pacers play the Lakers and the Raptors for their last two. Going down to the wire, as they say.

Not much fan interest here lately, despite the return of LaMelo Ball.

[Rich4114]

Well if we win and Pacers lose tomorrow, we lock in 8th I believe since we own tie breakers over both Indiana and Washington. Knicks at MSG won’t be easy though.

[JDR720]

Read on Twitter

So, I think the TLDR is we need to win or else we'll have to play a 1-off game for the 8th spot.

[Roll Tide 09]

I would prefer a series, but either route beats sitting at home because this offseason, our team is already there. We just have to develop Carey a bit more. No question marks this offseason, we're a really good team if/when healthy. A Top 5 team in the East.

[euphorbus]

You know how we had a debate concerning whether to go with a smaller rotation (7 to 8 players) or larger (9 to 10 players)? I will take the end of the season as evidence that a larger rotation would have been better. As a writer on "At the Hive" puts it, "The team looks gassed." Yessir.

Circumstances forced Coach Borrego to a smaller rotation in April, with Hayward, Ball, and Monk out for weeks, plus Hayward, Cody Martin, Graham, and finally Bridges missing games in May. The team went 6-10 in April, then it continued, only 3-7 in May, including losses in the last five. The schedule was brutal, the circumstances difficult, but the absence of Miles Bridges was the straw that broke the camel's back. I would argue James Borrego could have worked harder to keep his troops fresh once the calendar turned to May, but even a more experienced coach would have had his hands full.

[Chapelchilla]

You know how we had a debate concerning whether to go with a smaller rotation (7 to 8 players) or larger (9 to 10 players)? I will take the end of the season as evidence that a larger rotation would have been better. As a writer on "At the Hive" puts it, "The team looks gassed." Yessir.

Circumstances forced Coach Borrego to a smaller rotation in April, with Hayward, Ball, and Monk out for weeks, plus Hayward, Cody Martin, Graham, and finally Bridges missing games in May. The team went 6-10 in April, then it continued, only 3-7 in May, including losses in the last five. The schedule was brutal, the circumstances difficult, but the absence of Miles Bridges was the straw that broke the camel's back. I would argue James Borrego could have worked harder to keep his troops fresh once the calendar turned to May, but even a more experienced coach would have had his hands full.

The injuries piled up. Having both Miles and Hayward out mean't we did not have a NBA starter caliber player at 3 or 5 and barely any bench guys. I think we should be good next year if we get a FA starting center and draft BPA for depth.

[SWedd523]

You know how we had a debate concerning whether to go with a smaller rotation (7 to 8 players) or larger (9 to 10 players)? I will take the end of the season as evidence that a larger rotation would have been better. As a writer on "At the Hive" puts it, "The team looks gassed." Yessir.

Circumstances forced Coach Borrego to a smaller rotation in April, with Hayward, Ball, and Monk out for weeks, plus Hayward, Cody Martin, Graham, and finally Bridges missing games in May. The team went 6-10 in April, then it continued, only 3-7 in May, including losses in the last five. The schedule was brutal, the circumstances difficult, but the absence of Miles Bridges was the straw that broke the camel's back. I would argue James Borrego could have worked harder to keep his troops fresh once the calendar turned to May, but even a more experienced coach would have had his hands full.

Good points across the board

Talent-wise, you're still looking at a middling team, with upward projections due to what Lamelo and new Miles have shown. The depth always was an issue and losing like 80% of your offensive weapons at the same time will tax any team. Depending on guys like McDaniels and the Martins to play winning basketball just isn't fair to them.

Things finally caught up to them. For better or worse, they showed a ton of fight pretty much all season and with some creative rostering and a solid draft should stand to make some people think twice next year.