The Charlotte Hornets were back in action for their second preseason game of the year on Monday night, hosting the Toronto Raptors for the second time in three days.
Charlotte would fall to Toronto 112 to 109, but Hornets head coach James Borrego was impressed with how his team handled the matchup and how they're evolving with each contest.
“They’re a feisty group, a competitive group, they’re absorbing quite a bit right now and we’ve thrown a lot at them conceptually at both ends of the floor, and they’ve been able to handle it," Borrego said. "I think the thing that stood out to me tonight is this is a high basketball-IQ team. Now we’ve got to be smarter at times obviously we’ve got to clean that up. Obviously, in two games that’s been an issue for us. But in general, this team has shown me a higher basketball-IQ than expected, a team that’s together and that wants to fight for each other.”
Hornets rookie LaMelo Ball scored his first NBA bucket, knocking down a corner three in the first half, and would finish with 12 points.
“The best part about tonight was just being there and stepping out on the court playing,” Ball said.
Four Hornets starters put up double digits in scoring, while Jalen McDaniels added 15 points off the bench.
“I feel like it’s just not being timid anymore. Just like you know you’re here for a reason and sitting back and realizing ‘why are you here, you must be good’. Just being confident looking at yourself like I belong here and I can play at this level. That’s all it was for me just realizing these guys have been here a couple more years but that doesn’t mean I can’t step on the court with them and compete," McDaniels said. "The G League last year was me getting my reps, playing a whole lot, and then coming up and seeing and experiencing how it is. I feel like it helped me get to where I am.”
The Hornets will travel to Orlando to face the Magic on Thursday, December 17th.