Charlotte Hornets' biggest area of concern after two preseason games

Evaluating the biggest area of improvement for the Hornets following first two preseason games.

Ali Jawad | Oct 9, 2024

Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

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Charlotte Hornets

The Charlotte Hornets displayed a performance full of highs and lows, when defeating the Miami Heat 111-108 in their second preseason game on Tuesday night.

Charlotte experienced a decrease in overall shooting compared to their first game against the New York Knicks. In their matchup against the Heat, the Hornets finished 35-for-92 from the field (38%), including a disappointing 14-for-51 from three-point range (27.5%).

Despite the team's overall struggles, there were several standout individual performances. LaMelo Ball, in particular, had a strong showing, shooting 7-15, including 6-12 from beyond the arc, and amassing 24 points, six rebounds, four assists, one block, and one steal.

HORNETS WIN! Heat 108 - 111 Hornets

LaMelo Ball: 24 PTS, 6 REB, 5 AST, 6/12 3PM 🔥
Tidjane Salaun: 15 PTS, 8 REB, 3 AST, 4/7 3PM
Tre Mann: 14 PTS, 2 REB, 4 AST
Miles Bridges: 14 PTS, 9 REB
Seth Curry: 9 PTS, 2 REB, 3/5 3PM pic.twitter.com/mYY91dt2wP
— /r/CharlotteHornets (@HornetsReddit) October 9, 2024

Meanwhile, rookie forward Tidjane Salaun demonstrated why the Hornets chose him sixth overall in the recent draft. In his second game, the French player scored 15 points, grabbed eight rebounds, and made three assists while shooting 4 for 7 from three-point range.

“He’s making plays on both sides," said head coach Charles Lee. "He’s asking me to guard every position on the floor. He has that competitiveness to him that I really enjoy, that I think his teammates really enjoy.

Despite their victory over the Heat and struggles shooting deep, the Hornets have displayed a concerning trend in their first two preseason games: ball security. Charlotte has committed 43 turnovers, leading to 59 points against them.

Heat already with 13 points off six Hornets turnovers. Preseason basketball!
— Anthony Chiang (@Anthony_Chiang) October 8, 2024

Last season, the Hornets were middle of the pack with ball security, committing a total of 1,129 turnovers, which ranked 13th in the league. This translated to an average of 13.8 turnovers per game.

While the Hornets have shown flashes of brilliance in other areas of their game, their inability to protect the ball early could prove to be a major obstacle for a young team as they prepare for the regular season.

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