Cody Martin's unexpected career night crucial to Hornets' win

Cody Martin's 25 points were not only a delight, but also much needed

Sam Sharpe-Imagn Images

It's been a rough going for Cody Martin throughout the last two seasons, but on Wednesday night, it was finally a breath of fresh air for the six-year veteran.

Martin has dealt with numerous injuries since the 2021-22 season, but now, he finds himself in the best health since, and it showed in the win versus the Raptors with a career-high 25 points.

Martin, who is more known for his defense, has shown flashes of being a solid scorer of around eight to nine points a game, but it's pretty rare to see him get around that 20-point mark in a game. In fact, before Wednesday night, Martin had achieved just one game of 20 points or more just once, which came in December of 2021, almost three years ago.

Ironically, Martin's best game of last season was against the Raptors as well, when he poured in 19 points. There's a good possibility that not only does Martin have their number, but also it could be a confidence boost for the 29-year-old guard.

If Martin didn't have this type of game, then it is quite possible the Hornets would've lost their third straight game. The Hornets had a 23-point lead in the second quarter but quickly watched it dwindle. Martin scored 20 of his 25 points in the second half when the Hornets needed it the most. The most impressive statistic of the night with Martin was how efficient he was when shooting the ball, as he went 9-11 from the field while knocking down four important triples.

The notable factor about this miraculous performance from Martin is that he was struggling from the field prior to this game, but now seems to be finding his offensive rhythm. On Saturday night, Martin had his first 10 point game of the year and followed it up with a career-high performance on Wednesday. As well, it was his first game coming off the bench this season, as he previously started in his last three games.

If the Hornets could get just half of what they saw from Martin on Wednesday night, then they should be in a good position for this season, as the Hornets have potentially the most depth they've had in over a decade. Martin is a key piece to the Hornets' rotation as he provides added shooting, defense, hustle, and versatility to the Hornets roster. Martin's health and play could very easily play a vital role in the Hornets' success or lack thereof.

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