Rested Hornets push for playoff spot as Spurs hit town
Even at this stage of the season, the Charlotte Hornets are about to unveil something new.
Saturday is the home debut of recently signed Isaiah Thomas, who the Hornets hope provides spark in a push to land a spot in the playoffs.
The San Antonio Spurs will visit Charlotte on Saturday night. The Hornets are using a new formula in home games.
«We’ve had moments of positivity at home,» Charlotte coach James Borrego said. «We’ve seen that before. We’ve got to have that back. We’ve got to play with an edge. It starts on Saturday night, come out with the right mentality. The bunker mentality even though we’re at home. We can’t wait to hope somebody gives us a win. We have to go take it.»
The Hornets, who begin a three-game homestand, are 1-9 in their last 10 home games. Overall, they’ve won just three of their last 14 games, though they’re coming off Wednesday night’s 119-98 success at Cleveland.
Thomas scored 10 points in his first day with the team.
«With his leadership and his voice, he’s already making a difference in the locker room,» teammate Terry Rozier said.
Thomas signed a 10-day contract with Charlotte earlier this week. He’s a two-time NBA All-Star whose career began in 2011. He played earlier this season for the Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks.
‘He’s a pro. He’s a vet,» Borrego said. «He has been there before. He looked the part. You can just see his basketball IQ, his savviness.»
Thomas’ immediate impact largely came because of a rough outing for LaMelo Ball. He logged only eight minutes in the Cleveland game, in part because of foul trouble.
«Melo is a big part of what we do,» Borrego said. «I expect Melo to respond, come back better on Saturday night. He should be rested, so he’ll have some fresh legs.»
The Spurs have lost three games in a row. Yet in February, they won four of eight road games.
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich has won 1,334 regular-season games, one shy of Don Nelson’s NBA record.
Popovich said the Spurs have trouble putting together a complete game.
«We have to take responsibility for that and be more mentally ready to go,» he said.
Lonnie Walker IV provided 30 points off the bench in San Antonio’s 115-112 home loss to Sacramento on Thursday night.
For the Spurs, this will be their only March road game in the first 19 days of the month. They’re home for eight games during that span.
The Hornets won 131-115 on Dec. 15 at San Antonio behind Gordon Hayward‘s 41 points. He has led Charlotte in scoring only twice since then, though he has missed significant time with illness and injuries and last appeared in a game Feb. 7 because of an injured ankle.
Rest could help the Hornets, who have two days off prior to facing the Spurs and two days off after this game before taking on the Brooklyn Nets.
–Field Level Media
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