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Code RED! Entering this game, many fans were considering exactly where the arrow should point on the Hornets Panic Level Meter. Yellow? Orange? Blood Red? Well after tonight, it seems appropriate to quote the movie A Few Good Men.
Kaffee: Colonel Jessup, did you order the Code Red?!
Judge: You don't have to answer that question!
Jessup: I'll answer the question. You want answers?
Kaffee: I think I'm entitled!
Jessup: You want answers?!
Kaffee: I want the truth!
Jessup: You can't handle the truth!
That's basically how every conversation has gone between Hornets optimists and Hornets pessimists the last few nights. Is this team actually pretty good but floundering due to an insanely tough schedule, injuries, and struggling to adjust to a bunch of new rotation players? Or is this team actually really bad with very little chance of improving as the schedule eases up, players get healthy, and new guys figure out their way?
Who knows. Seriously, it's impossible to tell. One thing is for sure, the Hornets got their butts kicked by the Atlanta Hawks tonight. From the opening tip the game appeared the Hawks wanted this win while the Hornets were just looking forward to three days off.
At the half, the Hornets were down 64-28. You might ask why the score was so lopsided and really it's pretty simple: the Hornets played horrible basketball. No second effort on defense by any player. The Hawks attacked Kemba Walker early and Jeff Teague created easy buckets for his teammates. On the other end, the Hawks pressured every pass and made it incredibly difficult for Charlotte to move the ball.
If there ever was a team loss, this was it. The coaching staff, the players, and yes the schedule are all to blame. Now because it is the holidays, let's end on a few positive notes.
- Bismack Biyombo had a great highlight play
- P.J. Hairston also showed some good hustle in transition (Oh and I thought he played very well defensively tonight. He could move into the starting lineup at some point, seriously).
- The Hornets are only 3.5 games out of the eighth seed in the Eastern conference. In order to go one game over .500, Charlotte just needs to go 38-27 the rest of the way. Crazier things have happened.