Pleasant Surprises from Charlotte Hornets' Early-Season Games
The Charlotte Hornets entered their 2014-15 campaign amidst a flurry of hype and opportunity to climb up the standings in the Eastern Conference, but so far, we have seen a mixed bag of results. However, there is plenty to be excited about for the subsequent stretch.
NBA fans often have very short memories. We all love to make grand assumptions based on very little. Two weeks isn't much of a sample size, but it is big enough to draw some conclusions.
The Hornets have so far buzzed at times and been silenced at others. For a franchise that a couple of years ago started 7-5 and found itself at 7-23 before it could even blink, beginning at 3-4 is very pedestrian.
That being said, we expect much more from this squad. The fans have been incredible so far, and the rebranding of the entire organization back to teal and purple has been a resounding success. The only thing missing is consistent two-way basketball, but that will surely come with time.
Here are some of the biggest pleasant surprises of this young campaign.
Cody Zeller Has Clearly Improved
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Cody Zeller's rookie season could be sliced into two very different halves. During the first half, he averaged 5.0 points and 4.0 rebounds on 38 percent shooting. After the break, he posted a line of 7.7 points and 4.8 boards on 50.7 percent from the floor.
So far in 2014-15, we have seen the second-half version, except better.
The second-year 7-footer has settled into a nice niche offensively off the bench, stroking mid-range jumpers with confidence and getting out in the open floor. He has also taken on some of the playmaking abilities left behind by Josh McRoberts.
Zeller's averages of 9.0 points and 4.9 boards on 55.8 percent shooting are very solid but should stand to improve as he gets even more comfortable and gains the trust of Steve Clifford. He did not hit his stride last year until about the 50-game mark, so fans have every reason to believe that Zeller has another gear or two that he hasn't reached.
The biggest notables so far have been his defense and free throws. He has missed just two of his 17 attempts, though it would be great to see him attack the rim more and use his athleticism in the half-court offense. His efficiency at the line is up 15 percent from last year, but it does not compare to his defensive impact.
Zeller has made some emphatic plays on the less glamorous end, such as this pounding of Jeff Teague's layup attempt. Al Jefferson cannot patrol the paint alone, so if Zeller can continue to make plays in that respect, it will quell many of the doubts fans had coming into the season about the power forward slot. He may even fight Marvin Williams for that starting spot at power forward at some point.
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist's Shot
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We heard about it all throughout training camp, and it was unleashed on opening night in the October 29 contest against the Milwaukee Bucks. This is not the same Michael Kidd-Gilchrist.
People forget that this kid just turned 21, so it should be accepted that he is far from polished even after two NBA seasons. The 6'7" dynamo worked tirelessly this summer to iron out the NBA's ugliest jumper, and the impact of that effort is readily apparent.
Not only is MKG hitting jumpers, but he is overall much more confident on that end of the floor. He knows where he needs to be and is much more active attacking the rim and getting out on the break.
The only downside thus far has been the ugly spill he had in the November 2 contest against the New York Knicks, where he slammed hard on his chest and missed the following two games. It appeared to sap him of a little bit of his oomph upon his return, but this is no cause for concern just yet.
MKG is shooting 61.5 percent and is getting to the line much more. Lance Stephenson's swagger appears to be rubbing off on him a bit, which will only become more of a positive as the two players continue to grow as a cohesive unit.
Lance Stephenson's Rebounding
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It is widely known that Lance Stephenson is not only a great rebounder for his position, but this year has been one of the best overall. Thus far, his offensive game has not been clicking at all, aside from a ridiculous buzzer-beating game-winner from well beyond the arc off the glass in double overtime against the Atlanta Hawks.
Even better than the shot was his postgame quote, where he quipped, "I can't hit a swish yet, so I tried to throw it off the backboard." Knowing that he is struggling offensively, it was great to see him poke fun at himself and reassure the fans that he will not be scoring 8.0 points per game all year.
His scoring may not be where it will be, but he is averaging an astounding 10.4 rebounds, good for 12th in the NBA. James Harden is second in the NBA among shooting guards with just 6.7 per game, which just goes to show what kind of havoc Stephenson is wreaking on the glass.
Stephenson's rebounding acumen fits perfectly into Charlotte's style of play. Even while his offensive game is struggling, he will still be a substantial contributor. There is still plenty to shake out in terms of roles, especially since Stephenson and Kemba Walker have very similar styles. It is pleasant to see that scoring woes have not had even the slightest impact on Stephenson's motor.
Gary Neal Could Play Himself into Sixth Man of the Year Consideration
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The career 39.5 percent three-point shooter seemed to play down to his surroundings during his brief stint with the Milwaukee Bucks to begin last season, but he immediately regained his stroke following a trade to Charlotte.
That stroke has rolled right on over to this season, where Neal has begun to embrace his larger role. The former San Antonio Spur is averaging career highs across the board, including minutes, points and a hefty 43.5 percent success rate from downtown.
Rookie P.J. Hairston isn't ready just yet, and Gerald Henderson has seemingly been replaced with Lance Stephenson and the newly improved Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. This team took off once Neal came to town last year, and the same could be true this time around. He is a huge part of the roster and is unquestionably the go-to scorer off the bench.
His importance to the Hornets' makeup cannot be stated enough. According to Basketball-Reference.com, Charlotte's offensive rating with him on the floor is 106.0 and drops to 91.6 with him on the bench.
Charlotte will be getting more publicity behind the new era, and it will result in more overall recognition for them. He may not win the award, but it is not a long shot to say that Neal will be right up there among the league's best sixth men.
Al Jefferson Hasn't Missed a Beat
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We'll never know if the now-defunct Bobcats could have taken down the four-time defending Eastern Conference champion Miami Heat in last year's playoffs, (probably not), but the brief shot they had was quickly dashed once Al Jefferson developed plantar fasciitis.
Foot troubles have plagued plenty of the Association's big men for decades, so it was troubling to see Big Al go through it. It was a bit of a mystery if he could repeat the onslaught he administered throughout last season, particularly in the second half, but so far, so good.
Jefferson is off to a hot start with 22.7 points and 1.9 blocks. His free throws have been off, but that is likely just coincidental. Despite the additions and improvement of the supporting cast, this team's bread and butter is still feeding Jefferson on the low block. Everything runs through him on both ends, so having him at full health is imperative.
His 22.7 per game puts him 11th in the league in scoring, and that number has even gone up. Jefferson only averaged 16.5 points in the team's first two games before settling in and logging 25.2 over the following five contests.
Look for Stephenson and Walker to continue to find their spots and begin working around the big man even better. This team is still going through a feeling-out process, but it is lucky to have arguably the league's premier low-post scorer.
Even after 10 full seasons, Jefferson is still only 29 and very much in his prime. There are surely no doubters left wondering why Charlotte broke the bank for him in the 2013 offseason.
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