Brandon Miller opines second-half defensive breakdowns in late collapse vs. Suns

Brandon Miller thinks the Hornets could've defended better in the second half.

Jan 12, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Charlotte Hornets forward Brandon Miller (24) reacts after making a basket against the Phoenix Suns during the second half at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Brandon Miller and the Charlotte Hornets were 12 minutes away from another upset over the Phoenix Suns. They led by five heading into the fourth quarter where they were outscored by 12 en route to a seven-point loss. They missed a chance to sweep the season series and win two consecutive games.

Brandon Miller talks about defensive struggles in second-half collapse

🎙️ Brandon Miller: "If we stay at the same pace we played with the first half, we win by a good amount."

"Defensive possessions could've been better, whether we were in the right shifts, but it's part of the game. It's a long season; we'll be on the same page one of these days." pic.twitter.com/MBXYiJ7weG

— /r/CharlotteHornets (@HornetsReddit) January 13, 2025

Brandon Miller had 19 points, four rebounds, and six assists in the loss against the Phoenix Suns, but the Charlotte Hornets star thinks the defense was the primary issue. "If we stay at the same pace we played with the first half, we win by a good amount," Miller said. "Defensive possessions could've been better, whether we were in the right shifts, but it's part of the game. It's a long season; we'll be on the same page one of these days."

The Hornets did allow fewer points in the second half than in the first half, but Miller believes the defensive intensity wasn't there in the second half. They struggled to stop Phoenix from getting whatever it wanted in the final minutes.

Jan 7, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Charlotte Hornets forward Brandon Miller (24) gets fouled by Phoenix Suns guard Bradley Beal (3) during the first half at the Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-Imagn Images | Sam Sharpe-Imagn Images

They tried doubling Kevin Durant, but he found the open man for easy baskets a few times. The Suns also had good ball movement leading to open threes, and that hurt the Hornets on a few occasions at the end of the game.

The Hornets had been off for about a week due to the LA wildfires postponing both contests in Los Angeles. Despite the rest and the fact that the Suns were on a back-to-back, it was Charlotte who seemed to run out of steam and faded at the very end despite an encouraging performance overall.

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