The Charlotte Hornets just took a brutal hit in NBA Cup Group Play, dropping their first loss of the tournament to the Washington Wizards Friday night. This wasn’t just any loss either: they scored a season-low 79 points, and that kind of performance early in the Cup is a major red flag.
That 79-Point Problem Is Real
Yeah, 79 points is rough, man. Brandon Miller tried to shoulder the load, putting up a team-high 19 points, but it clearly wasn’t enough. Even with Naz Reid and Moussa Diabate pulling off double-double performances, the scoring just wasn’t there. You can’t win in this league, especially in a tournament with high stakes like the NBA Cup, when you can’t even crack 80. The Wizards weren’t exactly world-beaters, but they capitalized on Charlotte’s struggles. This team needs to find its offensive rhythm, and fast, because Group Play games are too important to be laying eggs like this.
Group C Standings Got Shaken Up
That loss immediately shuffled the deck in East Group C, and the Hornets are now looking up at a couple of teams. The Washington Wizards are sitting pretty at 1-0 with a sweet +16 point differential, looking strong out of the gate. Right behind them are the Boston Celtics, also 1-0, with a solid +14 differential. Then you’ve got the Atlanta Hawks, who haven’t even played a game yet, meaning they’re still at 0-0. But down at the bottom? The Chicago Bulls are 0-1 with a -14 differential, and our Hornets are right there with them, 0-1 and rocking a -16 differential. That point differential can be HUGE for tiebreakers, so starting off with a minus-16 hurts.
What’s Next for Charlotte in the Cup
The Hornets have some serious work ahead to turn this around. Their remaining schedule is no joke. They’re heading to Boston on November 6 to face those 1-0 Celtics, which is gonna be a tough road game. Then, it’s off to Atlanta on November 20 to take on the Hawks, who will be fired up after their initial games. Finally, they close out Group Play at home against the Chicago Bulls on November 25. Every single one of these games is a must-win if they want any shot at advancing. They can’t afford another night where the ball just refuses to go in the hoop, not with their NBA Cup hopes on the line.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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