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Hornets offense dries up in second half as Blazers leave Charlotte with a win

Charlotte drops the first of a nine-game homestand.
Schuyler Callihan|
Scott Kinser-Imagn Images

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Charlotte Hornets

The Charlotte Hornets' chances of beating the Portland Trail Blazers dropped significantly the moment the team's final injury report came out, which revealed that LaMelo Ball (wrist), Miles Bridges (back spasms), and Seth Curry (ankle) would not be available to play. Despite a valiant first-half effort, the Hornets fell to the Blazers, 102-97.

Best of the Night: Josh Okogie's double-double

Josh Okogie was the Hornets' second-leading scorer on the night with 16 points. That's something I never thought I would type. Now, many of those points came from the charity stripe (9/12), but he maintained an aggressive approach for much of the night. This is the fifth time in his career he's notched a double-double.

Worst of the Night: Another injury

Cody Martin got the start tonight due to the Hornets being down three regulars and his night only lasted five minutes. He exited the game with groin tightness and did not return. There are no details at this time regarding the severity of the injury, but it's just another bite from the injury bug that just loves to hover over this organization.

Stat of the Night: Portland's free throw shooting

The Blazers missed 12...I repeat, TWELVE free throws, yet still won the game by five. That's absurd. That's what happens when Charlotte's offense completely dries up in the second half, combining for 43 points in the third and fourth quarters.

Highlight of the Night:

Next up:

The Hornets will get right back to work on Saturday night as they play host to the struggling New Orleans Pelicans. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. EST.

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Schuyler Callihan
SCHUYLER CALLIHAN

Schuyler Callihan is the publisher of West Virginia On SI and has been a trusted source covering the Mountaineers since 2016. He is the host of Between The Eers, The Walk Thru Game Day Show, and In the Gun Podcast. The Wheeling, WV native moved to Charlotte, North Carolina in 2020 to cover the Charlotte Hornets and Carolina Panthers.

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