Doug Branson here, the host of the daily Locked On Hornets podcast, with your daily Locked On Hornets newsletter. Each day we bring you the biggest stories about the Hornets and the NBA, including the hottest links to other stories you need to read. Plus, Josh Lloyd delivers daily fantasy notes to crush your league.
Kemba Walker Discusses Key Changes in LaMelo’s Approach
Jan 5, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (1) reacts in the fourth quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images | David Richard/David Richard-Imagn Images
📈 LaMelo’s Growth: Kemba Walker’s return to the Hornets as a player enhancement coach is already making waves. In Rod Boone’s latest for the Charlotte Observer Kemba discusses working closely with LaMelo Ball, helping him refine his leadership and situational awareness. LaMelo’s effort in film sessions and his off-court dedication have been highlights, but Kemba’s comments suggest there’s still untapped potential.
🏀 Hornets’ Challenges: The Hornets remain stuck in a tough season. Injuries, inconsistency, and struggles with a three-point heavy offense have made wins scarce. Charles Lee’s system may be built for success, but without the right roster, execution is faltering. LaMelo’s hot stretches continue to provide hope, but more is needed to turn the tide.
🔥 What’s Next for LaMelo? With LaMelo leading All-Star votes for Eastern guards and averaging 30 points, his ceiling is as high as ever. The question is whether the Hornets can match his growth with improvements across the roster. Kemba’s mentorship could be the key to unlocking LaMelo’s next level, but it’s a race against time to align the team’s vision with its star player’s prime.
Have we already seen a Finals preview to start 2025?
Jan 5, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) shoots the ball over Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) during the fourth quarter at Paycom Center. | Alonzo Adams/Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
It’s just one game, I whisper to myself, as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander launches a three with lofty clearance over Jrue Holiday.
It’s just one game, I say, shaking my head as if to clear it when Isaiah Joe on a fastbreak flings the ball around Sam Hauser in hot pursuit, giving Hauser a ring of Saturn in basketball form for a split second, to Aaron Wiggins, shadowing them, for a tidy pop-up shot.
It’s just one game, I say, voice rising, whenGilgeous-Alexander pins the ball, barely out of Tatum’s hand, against the backboard for a block and then, immediately at the other end, lobs it to Isaiah Hartenstein for a dunk.
Sunday’s match between the Thunder and Celtics was just one game, and it’s only just January, but the contest showed what could very believably be a Finals preview. It also showed how OKC can aim to beat Boston in a series.
The Celtics are a machine, and like a machine, they are mechanical. Their dominance comes through the intuitive, expert understanding of what they are good at and how to deploy it, and what they are good at is launching threes. In Sunday’s game, the Celtics took 46 3-pointers. While they only made nine of them (for comparison, the Thunder were 16-of-38 from three), Boston is still shooting the most from deep in the league — sometimes as any as 20 more than their opponents over the course of a game.
The teams that are seeing success in recent wins over the Celtics aren’t necessarily attempting to limit Boston’s three-point attempts. With so many players capable of shooting the three ball it’s a futile effort and expends a lot of wasted energy. What they are doing, and what the Thunder did, is find ways to momentarily jam the machines.
The Thunder moved the ball more, they pressured Boston in the midrange and under the basket, they looked for any gap in the machine’s cogs they could wedge themselves into. Boston used to be way more susceptible to flustering, they abhorred a team that played a messy, gritty, or in any way abrasive style. It’s why the Heat have been so good at beating them in the postseason, because those Miami teams stopped at nothing to make things miserable and didn’t mind playing knee deep in the muck.
Katie Heindl is a credentialed NBA and WNBA writer, her bylines have appeared with The New York Times Magazine, SLAM, The Athletic, Yahoo Sports, Dime, Rolling Stone, among others. She writes the bestselling Substack, Basketball Feelings and is working on a book of the same name.
Home and Away
Rumor A mock trade scenario suggests the Lakers could acquire LaMelo Ball, with multiple assets heading to Charlotte. Explore the potential implications of this trade proposal. (Sports Illustrated)
Ranking The Hornets have hit rock bottom, claiming the last place in NBA.com’s latest power rankings. Delve into the factors contributing to their current standing. (Sports Illustrated)
Trade As the 2025 NBA Trade Block Big Board releases, new deals for top targets are discussed, including potential moves involving the Hornets. Discover the strategic options on the trade block. (Bleacher Report)
Preview The Phoenix Suns will compete against the Charlotte Hornets at the Spectrum Center at 7:00 PM ET. Read the preview.(NBA)
Jan 5, 2025; Orlando, Florida, USA; Utah Jazz guard Brice Sensabaugh (28) is interviewed by Seg Media reporter, Lauren Green following a game against the Orlando Magic at Kia Center. Mandatory Credit: Russell Lansford-Imagn Images | Russell Lansford/Russell Lansford-Imagn Images
One of the most intriguing developments on Sunday came from the Utah Jazz, where rookie Brice Sensabaugh has suddenly burst onto the scene with a scoring explosion.
Sensabaugh dropped 27 points against the Orlando Magic, following up a 34-point performance in his previous outing. That’s a staggering 61 points over two games for a player who had been largely off the fantasy radar. His usage rate has skyrocketed to over 30% in these contests, and he’s been scorching hot from beyond the arc, hitting 12 of 17 three-point attempts.
However, before we rush to add Sensabaugh in all leagues, it’s crucial to examine the context of his breakout. The Jazz were missing several key players, including Lauri Markkanen, John Collins, and Jordan Clarkson. This opened up a significant opportunity for Sensabaugh to showcase his scoring prowess.
The sustainability of Sensabaugh’s production is questionable. His three-point shooting percentage is bound to regress, and when the Jazz get healthier, his minutes and usage are likely to decrease. That said, he’s shown enough to warrant consideration as a streaming option in deeper leagues, particularly when Utah is shorthanded.
Click the button below for more insights, including another Thunder player to keep an eye on for your fantasy roster.
Hornets’ Tank Watch | Brandon Miller’s Comeback | Jimmy Butler to Charlotte? The Charlotte Hornets are grappling with a historically bad offense, even as their defense improves. We dive into the team’s effort issues, potential trade moves, and explore whether Jimmy Butler could be a surprise addition to the roster.
