Hornets' lack of healthy bodies leads to blowout loss vs Hawks

The Hornets lost badly at home on Tuesday night.

Mar 18, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young (11) questions a call by referee Matt Boland (18) with Charlotte Hornets guard Seth Curry (30) during first quarter against the Charlotte Hornets at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Summary

The Charlotte Hornets ultimately just didn't have the bodies to keep up with a healthy and more talented Atlanta Hawks team. Without LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges, not to mention Brandon Miller, Tre Mann, Josh Okogie, and others, they just didn't have the gas to go a full 48 without slipping behind and staying there.

It's difficult to keep up with an NBA team with some of the rotations Charlotte had to use. They never looked particularly awful, they just looked totally outmatched. The Hawks, conversely, just kept hitting baskets consistently and slowly building a substantial lead. Maybe one of the highlights of the night was seeing Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young in the crowd momentarily. The first half was marginally close at times, but a dismal third quarter did Charlotte in. The Hawks never trailed.

Best of the Night - Marcus Garrett

Charlotte has been desperately searching for 10-day players that can contribute to the NBA squad, and they've trotted out more than a few. Tonight, Marcus Garrett was one of the few bright spots. While he was far from excellent, he did record a career-high 12 points. He also added three steals, a block, three rebounds, and three assists for a very well-rounded outing.

Worst of the Night - Mark Williams' shot attempts

Mar 18, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Charlotte Hornets center Mark Williams (5) during pregame warm ups against the Atlanta Hawks at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Mark Williams was playing without Miles Bridges and LaMelo Ball. His other starters were Josh Green, DaQuan Jeffries, Damion Baugh, and Seth Curry. He should have been the first option on most offensive possessions, but the offense seemed content to chuck threes and generally ignore the star big man. Three shots through three quarters before sitting out of the fourth is pretty inexcusable.

Stat of the Night - 10 made threes

The Hornets lost for a variety of reasons, but poor shooting was one of them. Overall, they struggled, but they took 30 threes and made 10 of them. Some of the misses were ugly, too. There's no way any NBA team, let alone one with the lineup and rotation Charlotte had tonight, can win with only 10 made threes.

Highlight of the Night

.@bosnianbeast27 over the shoulder

📹 @FDSN_Hornets pic.twitter.com/MNm7ifJoWY

— Charlotte Hornets (@hornets) March 18, 2025

The Hornets are back in action at the Spectrum Center on Thursday, March 20 against the New York Knicks.

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