Gordon Hayward (23) and Miles Bridges (22) led the team on a strong rally in the second half, but in the end the Charlotte Hornets lost to the Miami Heat 99-114.
The Hornets trailed from the start of the first quarter. They let the Heat score 11 straight points while the Hornets conceded seven goals in a row. Kelly Obull hit three three-pointers from the start to help the Hornets keep the team while his teammates struggled. Washington announced his return with a score of 7 points in the first quarter. With the exception of one key area, the entire quarter of the race was basically even. The Heat had more offensive rebounds than defensive rebounds, and all those extra shots helped the Heat lead by 11 points after the first game, and a three-pointer by Taylor Hiro would end the score.
The Heat's onslaught continued into the second quarter, and they quickly led by 24 points before we reached the middle of the second quarter. Before the Hornets could stop bleeding, the lead extended to 26 points at one point. Washington continues to impress on his return, blocking a three-pointer by Duncan Robinson, creating several steals and kicking Bam Adebayo out of the game. That, combined with the Hornets' seasoned free throws, helped the Hornets get a few points before halftime. After two games, the Hornets trailed 64-46.
The first 16 shots of both teams combined were made in the first half. Miles Bridges threw two three-pointers to block PJ Tucker's three-pointer, and then Mason Plumlee found Kelly Uburd to pull back beautifully to narrow the score to 11 points. The Heat scored a few goals and took some lead, forcing the Hornets to pause. After the timeout, the Hornets began throwing some area defenses at the Heat, which made them lose their offensive rhythm. The Hornets forced the team to make some mistakes and played some fantastic games at halftime. They also got three-pointers from Gordon Hayward and Cody Martin to close the gap to nine points before the fourth quarter.
Cody Martin opened the fourth quarter with a three-pointer to a career-high 15 points. The Hornets trailed on several offenses, but then the Heat pulled back 13 points at 7-0. The Hornets suspended the game and narrowed the score to within eight points with a wave of their own counter-attacks, forcing the Heat to suspend the game. They couldn't have come any closer. Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayor scored two goals each with less than three minutes left in the game to tie the score apart.
The combination of Hayward and Bridges gave the Hornets a steady offensive force. In the match, Aubrey, Martin and Washington sparked in different positions. The Hornets' slow start and up-and-coming approach may not last against such a strong team, but it's great to see them able to eliminate the trail against the toughest team in the league.
The Hornets will host Cody Zeller and the Trail Blazers at home next Monday.