Do the Hornets have a top 5 bench?
Posted: Mon Nov 5, 2018 7:50 pm
https://swarmandsting.com/2018/11/04/do-the-charlotte-hornets-have-a-top-five-bench-in-the-nba/
During last night’s Charlotte Hornets victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers, the bench put on a show once again. The play of the bench has been, perhaps, the biggest takeaway of the team throughout the first 10 games of the season.
The entire bench combined for 67 points against the Cavaliers last night, leading the Hornets to a 126-94 win. Malik Monk led the way with 16 points in 21 minutes of play.
The lineup of Tony Parker, Malik Monk, Miles Bridges, Michael Kidd-Gilchrirst and Willy Hernangomez have a 116.9 offensive rating and a 92.1 defensive rating, which is extremely good. Those guys are coming off the bench and providing a ton of energy, which really changes the game.
When I think of strong benches around the NBA, I think of teams such as the Boston Celtics, Indiana Pacers, Golden State Warriors and the Utah Jazz. All of those teams have great success and the play of the bench is a major key as to why.
So, do the Hornets have a bench on par with those teams? It’s possible. Tony Parker has given the team stability when he comes off the bench, and I think he makes things a lot easier for the young guys like Miles Bridges and Malik Monk.
When you’ve got Bridges and Monk flying up and down the court throwing down dunks and hitting three-pointers, it gets the crowd really excited. Then you’ve got Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, a lockdown defender, and Willy Hernangomez, a walking double-double if given the minutes. It’s a really good lineup.
10 games is a small sample size, so I’d like to see this lineup do this consistently as the season goes on before I call it a top-five bench. However, I do think they have the potential to be a top-five bench. The bench will be vital to the Hornets success this season, and will provide good depth in case of injury.