Hornets hold players-only meeting after falling to 7-22

The Hornets are searching for answers.

Zach Roberts | 16 Hours Ago

Dec 23, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges (0) drives in during the first half against the Charlotte Hornets at the Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-Imagn Images / Sam Sharpe-Imagn Images

In this story:

Charlotte Hornets

It has been five games since the Charlotte Hornets last won. Last night, they were soundly defeated by the Houston Rockets in a contest that was never as close as the 13-point margin would indicate. Afterward, the players decided to do something to try and uncover the underlying problem.

Hornets host players-only meeting after fifth straight loss

Miles Bridges at the podium said that Taj Gibson pulled the team together for a players only meeting.

We’ll see where they go from here. Tonight feels like an inflection point.
— Matt Alquiza (@malquiza8) December 24, 2024

The Hornets have just seven wins this year. Their last two-game winning streak was on November 8. Injuries have derailed the early portion of the season, but many of those hurt players are healthy now. Those players believe they can do better, so they held a players-only meeting after a 114-101 loss.

Miles Bridges said the #Hornets had a players only meeting after the loss to the Rockets tonight. Mentioned how Taj Gibson gave a speech that riled up the team.

“It’s great to have Taj. He’s not just here to get a check. He wants to win.”
— Jeremy Grandison (@JeremyGrandiso1) December 24, 2024

Miles Bridges revealed that Taj Gibson, a player just barely younger than the team's head coach, was instrumental in this meeting. “It’s great to have Taj. He’s not just here to get a check. He wants to win," Bridges said after a 24-point night. Gibson reportedly fired up the team with his speech, but they won't get the chance to play again until Thursday.

Things have quickly gone off the rails in Charlotte. The hiring of Charles Lee and the idea of having Bridges, LaMelo Ball, Mark Williams, and Brandon Miller healthy on the court together this year sparked hope. That has quickly turned into despair.

Those four players have been healthy for a little over 3/4 of a game. They've shared the floor for precious few minutes, and it's hurt the Hornets this year. That helped get them into a hole, and now they're finding difficulty climbing out of it.

Hornets host players-only meeting after fifth straight loss

MORE STORIES FROM HORNETS ON SI