Episode Details

The Charlotte Hornets had a golden opportunity to showcase their growth on a national stage against the Cleveland Cavaliers, but instead, the night was defined by a self-inflicted wound. Coach Charles Lee opted once again to bring LaMelo Ball off the bench in the first game of a back-to-back, and the results were nothing short of catastrophic. We watched as the offense fell into a 13-2 hole almost immediately, trailing by as many as 27 points in a first half that ranked among the worst performances we have seen all season. While the intention is to manage LaMelo's long-term health and maximize his availability for winning time, it is clear that this strategy is stripping the roster of its rhythm and identity right from the jump.

Despite the collective frustration, there were flashes of the talent that makes this core so intriguing. Brandon Miller provided the spark of the night with a candidate for dunk of the year, finishing with 24 points and showing a resilience that kept the game competitive in the second half. Kon Knueppel continued his impressive rookie campaign, battling for 11 rebounds and chipping in 21 points of his own. However, the inability to find consistent spacing against a formidable Cavs front line of Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley meant the hill was simply too steep to climb. We examine the ripple effect of these rotation choices and hear from the fans who are losing patience with a process that seems to prioritize the TI-84 calculator over the flow of actual NBA basketball.

Follow & Subscribe on all Podcast platforms… 🎧 https://linktr.ee/lockedonhornets

Become an official member of the Locked On Hornets Sicko Brigade and get Hornets news, rumors and pictures of Byron Mullens sent directly to your phone via Subtext (14 Day Free Trial): https://joinsubtext.com/lockedonhornets

Locked On NBA League-Wide: Every Team, Fantasy, Draft, WNBA & More 🎧 https://linktr.ee/LockedOnNBA

Get Doug's gamenotes, special articles and a podcast on Hornets history at the Every Hornets Boxscore substack: everyhornetsboxscore.com

Get more Walker on Wes and Walker 12-3pm on WFNZ 92.7 FM

📲 Follow Locked On Hornets on Twitter

Locked On Hornets https://twitter.com/LockedOnHornets

Walker Mehl https://twitter.com/WalkerMehl

Doug Branson https://twitter.com/DougBransonLOH

For your next listen, check out the Locked On NBA podcast, where the season never ends providing national expertise with a local perspective.

Part of the Locked On Podcast Network. Your Team. Every Day. Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!

Everydayer Club  If you never miss an episode, it’s time to make it official. Join the Locked On Everydayer Club and get ad-free audio, access to our members-only Discord, and more — all built for our most loyal fans. Click here to learn more and join your team’s community: https://lockedonpodcasts.com/everydayerclub

Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!

Mint Mobile

Turn your expensive wireless present into a huge wireless savings future by switching to Mint.Shop Mint Unlimited Plans at http://MINTMOBILE.com/LOCKEDONNBA.Disclaimer: Limited time offer. Upfront payment of: $45 for 3-mo., $90 for 6-mo., or $180 for 12-mo. plan required($15/mo. equivalent). Taxes & feesInitial plan term only.  Greater Than 35GB may slow when network is busy. Capable device required. Availability, speed, & coverage varies. See mintmobile.com.

Quo

Make this the year where no opportunity and no customer slips away.Try Quo for free plus get 20% off your first 6 months when you go to https://www.Quo.com/lockedonnba.Quo — no missed calls, no missed customers.

Zocdoc

Stop putting off your doctor’s appointments and get the care you need.Go to htps://Zocdoc.com/lockedonnba to find and instantly book a top-rated doctortoday.

Robinhood

You expect more from yourself. Expect more from your money. Get started today at robinhood.com/