Charlotte Hornets to Organize "Players Only Meeting" After Losing 16 of 17 Games
The Charlotte Hornets are set to host their first player only meeting since the 2017-18 season. Following Sunday's loss to the Miami Heat, Terry Rozier told the Charlotte Observer it's time the players talk things over.
"I think we are going to talk it over at a players only (meeting) and I think we are going to figure it out. Because as bad as things are going, we are only five or six games behind a play-in tournament spot. We win the next three, things can turn for us. We've just got to believe that as a team and put that effort towards it".
The Hornets are coming off the worst stretch in recent franchise history losing by a total of 78 points across their three games. The context of those losses make it look worse, coming against a six win San Antonio team and a Miami team missing four key players. Yes, the Charlotte Hornets have suffered with injuries too, but it's the nature of the losses that have been extraordinarily worrying.
The Hornets look lifeless despite LaMelo Ball's return. In the last two contests Charlotte has shot consecutive season lows in field goal percentages with 36% against the Spurs and 34.7% against the Heat. Players are beginning to look past the point of caring, look at the despondent response after the breakdown in transition defense below. Nobody holding each other accountable, no frustration or even any eye contact, at this point they are sleepwalking through the game.
Injuries are no longer a valid excuse for this level of basketball. The fanbase isn't expecting wins, but is it too much to expect semi-competitive basketball with at least some sense of minor jeopardy. It seems Terry Rozier knows it too, as the leader of this team he is doing his best to keep everyone invested by organising this meeting. At this point the play-in is a fantasy dream, if this was NBA 2K you would click the "Sim rest of season" option immediately. For Charlotte, they have 44 more games to play which nobody is looking forward to.
The patience of the Hornets fanbase, which is one of the most understanding in the NBA is now wearing thin. Until this team starts playing with a greater sense of inspiration and vigour, not even the Hornets new owners could blame the hardiest Hornets fans for not tuning in.
