Takeaways from Antonio Reeves' extended minutes against the Oklahoma City Thunder

The NBA schedule-makers did the Charlotte Hornets no favors on Saturday night.

After slugging it out in 12 rounds slobber knocker against Giannis and the Bucks on Friday night, Charlotte had the unenviable task of returning home for the second half of a back-to-back against a well-rested Oklahoma City Thunder squad. OKC's vaunted perimeter defense chewed up and spit out the Hornets for the majority of the second half in a game that wasn't as close as the 109-96 final score suggests.

Due to a number of ailments to players in Charles Lee's rotation, a pair of guards on two-way contracts got the chance to play significant minutes on Saturday night.

One of those, KJ Simpson, struggled mightily against the endless wave of Oklahoma City's suffocating perimeter defenders.

The other, Antonio Reeves, a second-year swingman out of Kentucky who was suiting up in his second game as a Hornet, acquitted himself well against the defending champs.

Antonio Reeves flashes high-level NBA skills in opening salvo with Charlotte

In 17 minutes of action on Saturday night, Reeves showed a little bit of everything.

He was one of the Hornets that got a chance to defend reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in an isolation setting. Charlotte didn't have a designated 'Shai stopper' (as if one even exists on this planet), so they decided to deploy a committee approach against the 30 point-per-game scorer.

Reeves did a fine job on SGA.

Some nice defensive moments from Antonio Reeves against SGA. Good basketball player
— Matt Alquiza (@malquiza8) November 16, 2025

When Charlotte signed Reeves to his two-way deal, I noted his lack of strength and how he wins on the defensive end with smooth lateral agility and active hands. He showed both of those traits on this specific possession in which he forced SGA into a tough shot that fell to the wayside:

pic.twitter.com/1z1XDRimSZ
— Matt Alquiza (@malquiza8) November 17, 2025

On offense, Reeves did exactly what you expected him to -- knock down open jumpers.

He finished the game 3/5 from long-range (although two of the three effectively came in garbage time). Reeves is a deadeye shooter who will fit nicely in Charles Lee's offensive system that emphasizes three-point jumpers from the corners. He is adept at relocating to find pockets of space on the perimeter before letting jumpers fly which he did on his first three-point make as a Hornet.

Nice sequence by Antonio Reeves for his first points with the Hornets... sneaks in for the OREB, then relocates for a catch-and-shoot right corner 3P
— Sam Perley (@sam_perley) November 16, 2025

Late in the fourth quarter, Charlotte ran Reeves through a pair of staggered screens and a dribble handoff that led to an open three in a set that looked tailor made for rookie sharpshooter Kon Knueppel. If he is going to knock down those jumpers with regularity while keeping the ball moving on offense and defending with a purpose, Reeves has a chance to stick around with the senior Hornets.

It's all about being a connector.

My prediction: Reeves signs a standard contract with the Hornets following the NBA trade deadline, much like Moussa Diabate did last winter. Reeves is a proven, valuable, two-way player that can make an impact at the NBA level if given the opportunity, and I believe that some activity in Feburary will afford that opportunity to him.

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