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Hornets Sunday Scouting: 10/23-10/30

dallaswpeyton18 Leave a comment

Amid our busy lives, it can be difficult to find the time every Hornets game day to properly research who the Hornets will be playing, how they have been playing, and how they match up with our boys from Buzz City. Sure it’s easy to follow teams like the Cavs or the Warriors who are constantly on ESPN, but what about teams like Portland or Utah? The media never talks about them so it’s hard to keep up. But, no need to fear, because throughout the season I will be providing your weekly one-stop scouting report on all the Hornets’ upcoming opponents.

 

Full disclaimer, I am a numbers guy, so expect to see lots of stats. The hope is that when you turn on the game, you will have a better understanding of places that the Hornets should succeed against a particular opponent and places that might be a point of concern. As always, I would love to discuss your thoughts and opinions on my scouting, so hmu on Twitter @dallaswpeyton18

 

@ Milwaukee Bucks (2-1)                                                                  Monday, 10/23 at 8pm

 

Matchup Overview:Image result for charlotte hornets vs milwaukee

(Image from At the Hive)

On Monday night, the Hornets will take on the Bucks for the first time this season. The two teams met 3 times last season with the Bucks taking 2 of the 3 on the year. The Hornets, coming off of 2 days of rest, will be hoping to push their record above .500 with a win. The Bucks meanwhile are coming off a 2-game home-stand that finished up Saturday night and hope to begin a push towards the top of the Eastern Conference.

 

Recent Form:

 

The Bucks have started off the season with a tough slate of games against 3 playoff teams from last year. Yet, they still find themselves at 2-1 after a nice road win over the Hayward-less Celtics and a 3-point home win over the Blazers. Their lone loss is a 19-point blowout at the hands of the Cavs.

 

Key Players and Recent Performers:

Image result for giannis dunk

(Image from NBA.com)

Giannis, Giannis, and more Giannis. The Greek Freak is BALLING to start the season and is averaging 38.3 ppg, 5 apg, and 9.7 rpg in the young season. 3 games is an extremely small sample size but those numbers are still out of this world considering that he is leading the league in PER by a significant margin. Outside of that, there is not much to speak of on this roster. The Bucks have yet to have a player not named Giannis score over 20 points in a game. Malcolm Brogden is the only other player worth noting, as the second-year player out of UVA has upped his ppg by 6 points to 16 and is shooting the 3 at a 50% clip.

 

Key Team Stats:

 

One Positive for the Hornets: 24th in DEFRTG

 

The Hornets have not started the season all that well on offense, the 3rd quarter against Atlanta notwithstanding. But the Bucks will come into the matchup ranked 24th in DEFRTG which bodes well for the Hornets.

 

One Negative for the Hornets: 2 practices

Giannis is one of the toughest players in the league to defend, and the only player on the Hornets roster with the athleticism to possibly cause Giannis some trouble is MKG. The problem is that MKG has been away from the team dealing personal matters and has only practiced twice since returning on Saturday.

 

Matchups to Watch:

 

Thon Maker v. Dwight Howard. At 7-1, the Bucks are hope that the 20 year-old Maker will develop into a solid player at the NBA level. And he has done well to gain the starting role over 7-year vet Greg Monroe, but Howard has about 12 years and 30 pounds on him. The Hornets hope that Howard will be able to bully the slighter man on the inside in the same way he was able to against the Hawks. This matchup might well prove vital for either team if they are going to be successful in this game.

 

Malcolm Brogden v. Kemba Walker. We all know what Kemba can do. He was Charlotte’s first all-star since Gerald Wallace and has gotten better each and every year in the league. Brogden, on the other hand, is a lesser known commodity. At 6’5, he has quite a bit of size on the smaller Walker, but also lacks a little bit when it comes to quickness. The key here will be whether Kemba, or whoever Clifford matches up on him, will be able to keep Malcolm off the scoreboard on the other end.

 

Final Thoughts:

 

Giannis is going to get his regardless. The key to this game is whether the Hornets defense, 4th in DEFRTG, will be able to keep anyone else from helping Giannis out enough for the Bucks to win this game. Both teams are coming off at least one day of rest, so both should be well-rested for this matchup. The series might be important at the end of the season in determining seeding in a weak Eastern Conference, so the Hornets hope to start it off with a win.

 

Denver Nuggets (1-1) Wednesday, 10/25 at 7pm

 

Matchup Overview:

Image result for charlotte hornets vs nuggets

(Image from NBA.com)

On Wednesday night, the Hornets will begin a 3 game home-stand with their first matchup against the Nuggets. The two teams met 2 times last season with the Hornets sweeping the season series. The Nuggets play Monday night against John Wall and the Wizards in Denver before traveling cross country for the tilt with Charlotte. Last year, the Nuggets barely missed the playoffs and are expected by many to compete for one of the last few spots in the West this upcoming season.

 

Recent Form:

The Nuggets started off the season with a double-digit loss to Utah away before picking up their first win at home against the Kings. That game against the Wizards might go a long way towards showing us what kind of team Denver is going to be this year.

 

Key Players and Recent Performers:

Image result for nuggets paul millsap

Image from The Denver Post)

Summer-addition, Paul Milsap has been off to a fairly hot start in his new home with his averages sitting at around 18 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. Shooting guard, Will Barton, has also gotten off the mark quickly and leads the team in scoring while still managing to keep his fg % and 3pfg % above 50%. Another unheralded player worth mentioning is Nikola Jokic who is only averaging 3 points per game but has been able to contribute with over 10 rebounds and 7 assists per game. His ability to pass out of the post has been a major factor in the Nuggets posting the 3rd highest Assist % in the league so far.

 

Key Team Stats:

 

One Positive for the Hornets: 5.5 Steals/game

 

The Hornets have been uncharacteristically bad about giving the ball away so far this season and average more turnovers than every other team except 2. The good news about this matchup is that the Nuggets are one of the worst teams in the league at taking the ball away, which might help the Hornets throw off these early season cobwebs.

 

One Negative for the Hornets: 92.5 ppg

 

The Nuggets have been one of the stingiest defenses so far this season, and have only allowed their opponents to score around 92 points a game. This is a small sample size, but could spell trouble for a Hornets squad that is near the bottom of the league in both scoring and offensive rating.

 

Matchup to Watch:

 

Paul Milsap v. Marvin Williams. Marvin Williams is typically one of the better defenders that the Hornets have to offer, but he seemed to struggle more last year then he did in the Hornets last playoff appearance in 2015-16. In this matchup, he is going against the crafty Milsap who has made a career scoring in the low post. The hope is that the presence of Howard in the middle to block shots will influence Milsap’s game on one end, and Williams ability to step out and knock down 3’s on the other end (we think?) could help space the floor.

 

Final Thoughts:

 

The Nuggets are a talented, young team that is hungry to make the playoffs after last season’s failure. But on a trip across country to face a well-organized Hornets defense who will be playing in front of their home crowd, the expectation is that the Hornets will be able to come away with the win.

 

Houston (3-0) Friday, 10/27 at 7pm

 

Matchup Overview:

Image result for charlotte hornets vs rockets

(Image from Sports Chat Place)

Unrelated, I don’t know where this picture has been my whole life, but it’s everything I could ever ask for. Anyway…on to the match up.

On Friday night, the Hornets will play game 2 of a 3-game home-stand with their first matchup against the Rockets this season. The two teams met 2 times last season with the Rockets sweeping the season series. The Rockets play twice this week against the Grizzlies on Monday and the 76ers on Wednesday before their trip to Charlotte. The Rockets were one of the top 5 teams in the league last year and appear to be just as strong, if not stronger this year. A win here is expected from the Rockets perspective, but would be a huge confidence booster for the Hornets if they manage to pull it out.

 

Recent Form:

 

The Rockets have started off red hot with a win against the defending champs in California, to go alongside wins against the Kings and the Mavericks. The game against Memphis should be fun to watch on Monday and might go a long way towards determining how the Western Standings will look early in the season. The game against Philly shouldn’t be too tough for a team with as much talent as Houston.

 

Key Players and Recent Performers:

Image result for james harden

(Image from Forbes)

Who else can you start with besides James Harden? The bearded wonder is one of the best players in the league and has the stats to back it up. So far this season he is averaging around 28 ppg, 9 apg, and 4 rpg. These types of performances are what made him an MVP candidate last season. After Harden, the Rockets have guys like Eric Gordon (22.3 ppg) and Clint Capela (15.7 ppg 10.3 rebounds) who are more than capable of winning a game with their play.

 

Key Team Stats:

 

One Positive for the Hornets: 4 Weeks

 

Luckily for the Hornets, this matchup comes during a stretch when 9-time NBA All-star Chris Paul is more than likely going to be sidelined. Paul, acquired from the Clippers over the summer, is dealing with a left knee injury and is expected to miss up to 4 weeks.

 

One Negative for the Hornets: 111.3 ppg

The Rockets have one of the highest scoring offenses in the league and will look to get it going against the Hornets on Friday.  They are currently averaging 111 points per game which is in the top 10 in the NBA so far this season.

 

Matchup to Watch:

Image result for james harden kemba walker

(Image from Zimbio

James Harden v. Jeremy Lamb/Kemba Walker/ Whoever ends up with this assignment. This matchup will hinge almost entirely on the defensive side of the ball for the Hornets. Harden is not known for his defense, so whoever ends up drawing him on the offensive end should look to take advantage matchup for the Hornets. On the other side, the question is who will be able to slow down the Beard. With Paul out, Harden is in the top 10 in the league in usage percentage meaning that whoever is guarding him is going to be have to be turned on throughout the entire possession. If they can force the ball out of his hands, or force him to take bad shots, they might have a chance at the upset.

 

Final Thoughts:

 

The Rockets are deep and experienced and will provide a major measuring stick of where the Hornets are at this point in the season. Realistically and statistically, it will appear that the Hornets should be happy if they can merely manage to keep the game close, but I believe this Hornets team could be something special, and this game is one of their first chances to prove that.

 

Orlando (2-1) Sunday, 10/29 at 6pm

 

Matchup Overview:

Image result for charlotte hornets vs magic

(Image from FanPicks)

On Sunday night, the Hornets will play host to the Orlando Magic for their first meeting of the season. The game will be the last of a 3 game home series for the Hornets and the first night of a dreaded home and away back-to-back. Meanwhile the Magic have a home game against the Nets on Tuesday and the Spurs on Friday before this meeting in the Queen City. The teams met 4 times last year with the Hornets managing to take all 4 meetings.

 

Recent Form:

 

The Magic are one of the most surprising teams at the beginning of this NBA season. They have knocked off the Heat at home and the Cavs in Cleveland with their lone loss coming against the Brooklyn Nets. It is hard to figure out what to make of them because the win against the Cavs is very impressive but the loss to the Nets is a bad loss. The two games leading up to this matchup should give a better idea of what the Hornets should expect.

 

Key Players and Recent Performers:

Image result for vucevic

(Image from Orlando Magic Daily)

Vucevic has been by far their best player so far, posting a line of 27.7 ppg, 10.7 rebounds, 3 apg, and 1.67 bpg all while shooting nearly 70% from the floor. The 26-year-old from Switzerland has been a force to be reckoned with and looks to continue his hot run. Behind him, Aaron Gordan and Evan Fournier are both scoring the ball at high rates while also contributing rebounds and assists. Overall, the Magic seem to have a roster full of guys who are contributing to team success, like Elfrid Payton, DJ Augustine, and Terrance Ross. At some point, you would expect these stats to begin to regress closer to career averages, but for now it is working for Orlando.

 

Key Team Stats:

 

One Positive for the Hornets: 26.3 FT attempted

 

The Hornets are in the top 6 in the league in FT attempted, while the Magic are in the bottom 10 teams in the league in terms of allowing the opponent to get to the FT line. The Magic are currently allowing their opponents to shoot over 26 free throws per game, meaning that the Hornets might be able to take advantage of this to get some free points.

 

One Negative for the Hornets: 48.3% 3-point fg %

 

The Magic are shooting the ball lights out right now and have one of the best offenses in the league to show for it. They are 5th in the league in ppg at 117, 6th in fg % at 47.6% and 2nd in 3 pfg % at 48.6%. One thing is for sure, they can score the ball efficiently and in bunches.

 

 

Matchup to Watch:

Image result for vucevic v Howard

(Image from Zimbio)

Vucevic v. Dwight Howard. This one will feature an old Magic center versus the new face of their franchise in a game that could showcase an important battle in the paint. The Hornets will hope that Howard will regain some of his DPOY form and will be able to keep Vucevic from getting the easy looks that he has managed to find so far this season. If Howard can successfully make him a jump shooter then the team will be better positioned to be successful because they can minimize the effectiveness of the Magic’s inside out game. On the other end, the key for the Hornets in this match up will be to effective use pick and roll to get Vucevic away from the basketball and into foul trouble. If they can do these things, the Hornets should be able to do enough against a mediocre Orlando defense to get a win at home.

 

Final Thoughts:

 

The Magic are a young team with many different pieces on the roster that have the potential to be good players in this league. That being said, I don’t expect Vucevic to continue to perform at an MVP level and I also expect some of the other players to regress some as well. But, they still have the potential to snatch a game from the Hornets if they are not careful, so hopefully the Hornets will be up for this one in front of their home crowd.

 

 

Predictions for the Week:

 

This can be tough to predict games that won’t take place for a week, but I will give it my best shot.

 

L @ Milwaukee: I think Giannis will be too much to handle and the Hornets will fall in this one.

 

W v. Denver: Howard will dominate the paint and the Hornets will take this one at home.

 

L v. Houston: Houston is one of the best teams in the league and I think they will show it in this one.

 

W v. Magic: Orlando has some good pieces but I think Charlotte’s defense might give them some trouble and the Hornets will finish their home-stand 2-1

 

Image result for charlotte Hornets yell

(From BBTB)

 

Meet The “Bring Back the Buzz”Blog Team

Scotty & Evan Leave a comment

The 2017-18 Season for the Charlotte Hornets is under way and it is time to introduce the starting lineup so far for the Bring Back The Buzz Blog!

Landon White (Bee-lieve This!)

I’m a native North Carolinian – Chapel Hill born and raised – who has been down with the Hornets from day one. After high school, I headed up to VA and attended Virginia Tech. I graduated and spent a few years in Virginia, and then packed up and moved down to Charlotte where I lived for ten years. Now I’m back in the Triangle still pulling hard for my Hornets (along with the Panthers, Hurricanes, and Hokies). Twitter (haven’t used it much in a while): @landonvt

Dallas Peyton (Bee Prepared)

Hey Hornets fans! My name is Dallas Peyton and I am a senior Sport Management and Business Student at Liberty University in Virginia. Born and raised in NC, I grew up going to Panthers and Bobcats games from an early age, and I’ve been hooked ever since. I was absolutely ecstatic when I heard that Hornets were coming home where they belong, and I can’t wait to spend this season talking Buzz City Basketball with you guys! Hit me up on Twitter at @Dallaswpeyton18

And as always….Let’s go Hornets!!

KYLE FLOYD (Hive Above)

Hey everyone, my name is Kyle Floyd. I am a proud lifelong fan of the Charlotte Hornets, along with other North Carolina based teams. While I am only a Junior in high school I always make time to watch every Hornets game, and enjoy having conversations about the team. You can find me on Instagram @Jonathan9Kyle or on Twitter @TarHeelBlood9 

RICH DEVITA (Rich’s Reaction)

I am a Charlotte native with a passion for this city and our teams. As an 80’s baby, I grew up with the Hornets. I am excited to share my thoughts on our Bugs. An alumni of East Carolina and married to Haley since 2012.

FOLLOW ON TWITTER: @QCsportsreport

BUZZ BROTHERS

(Left to Right: Scotty & Evan Kent)

(Left to Right: Scotty & Evan Kent)

Scotty and Evan started Bring Back The Buzz back in 2010. Scotty is the Director of Marketing at The Unknown Brewing Company here in Charlotte that is based in South End and Evan is the Director of Social Media for Brixx Wood Fired Pizza.

Follow us on twitter @BringBacktheBuz

Uncle Jut Visual Journey: Hornets Open Practice

Scotty & Evan Leave a comment

Saturday, Sept. 30 at noon at Spectrum Center we were invited to cover the Hornets Open Practice. We decided to take advantage of the opportunity and invite our friend Uncle Jut and his camera to orchestrate his sorcery. We were hoping this would help convey the scene to those who could not attend in person. Without further further ado….. Feast your eyes.

You can follow Uncle Jut and his journeys around CLT at the link we provided above. Really hope we get to work with him again soon.

ALSO

You can watch the Interviews we did with Players and Coaches and more videos around the event HERE.

HORNETS REVEAL: New Jordan Brand Uniforms

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via hornets.com

 

So yea… We’ve got Jordan Brand uniforms and we’re the only ones! First professional team in the U.S. to do so and still no word on the sponsorship spot after the Hornets hired Excel Sports Management to shop the spot.

via Jordan Brand
via Jordan Brand
via Jordan Brand
via Jordan Brand

Hornets unveiled new uniforms Monday morning to mixed reviews. Some felt like they were a little “sharkweeked” referencing all the hype behind Michael Phelps racing a shark only to be let down by a lackluster conclusion. Some were just happy that the teal looked a little more… teal? And some were confused as to why “Charlotte” was taken off the teal uniforms.

Let’s break it down real quick.

Nike made some statements back in mid July that basically said that they were moving away from the traditional “home” and “away” uniforms and not forcing the home team to wear white uniforms. Rather they are giving the teams two primary uniforms, an “Association” uniform and a “icon” uniform. This will give the home team more freedom to choose each game what they want to wear. This sheds light onto why they took “Charlotte” off the teal uniforms and we will likely see it on the other uniforms.

“The “Association Edition” will be the team’s traditional white uniform, while what was formerly the road uniform will now be designated as the “Icon Edition.” The two remaining editions will be revealed later this fall.”- NBA.com

NOW THE MOMENT WE’VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR

The Classics?

A lot of people freaked out when the reveal showed no sign of the classic uniform with the pinstripes and were ready to march on Jordan/Nike headquarters. PUMP THE BRAKES. 

8 teams will be awarded “classic” uniforms that will nod to some of the team’s more iconic looks. These will be available in the fall. Soooooooooo

Patience Buzz City. This image gives me a warm fuzzy that Jordan is taking care of us 😉 Just take a moment to appreciate that it looks like MKG has been hitting the gym!

BUT, what do you think?

P.S. Hornets hope to have the uniforms available and have the official unveiling Sept. 29th with the opening of the team store after renovations.

 

CLICK TO GET THE UPTOWN MUNK SHIRT!!!

GETTLEMAN GONE: PICKING UP THE PIECES by Austin Stallings

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By Austin Stallings

Carolina’s latest front office shuffle sent its most successful GM in franchise history packing. As disgruntled former players weigh in, it’s become apparent the Panthers are valuing their founder’s core convictions over direct success. Now he just needs to come out and say it.

_____________________________________________

Unless you’ve been living under a rock or partaking in an offseason media cleanse, you’ve no doubt heard this week’s big ticket news item that cued a shockwave across the NFL world.

Panthers Owner/Founder Jerry Richardson announced on Monday that Dave Gettleman, one of the most successful GM’s of the past decade (and 2015 NFL Executive of the Year), was being relieved of his duties after 4 seasons with Carolina. Eight days before the start of the team’s training camp in Spartanburg.

You’ve also since heard that former Panthers GM Marty Hurney (one of only three men to hold the position) was quickly selected to head up the operation once again in the interim.

In the days after, countless articles have cluttered the echo chamber that is internet-age sports media, as analysts and bloggers alike have attempted to make sense of the Panthers’ latest front office shuffle. All gasping for air in a crowded space, these mostly-clumsy articles have tried to convince you exactly why the abrupt decision was made, and even more that the intuitive writer has seen it coming for quite some time. But really, nobody did.

 

 

Alas — The undying need to be “the” analyst who was ahead of the curve, and the phenomena known as groupthink — work together in unison to fuel this collection of “finger on the pulse” media members who rush to justify a move that truly nobody saw coming. Oddly enough, the past year has brought us exactly zero stories about tension in the Panthers front office.

What has become apparent though — now more than ever — is that, in what may be Jerry Richardson’s final years, the franchise founder is returning to his core principles of business, which have always been to create a family atmosphere around his team.

Bringing Gettleman to Charlotte for the implicit purpose of offering a more analytical approach to the front office, and later dismissing him for seemingly the same reason — suggests that Richardson has undergone a second change of heart, and that at some point he was no longer able to stomach Gettleman’s rigid management style that landed him the job in the first place.

Not much else, short of a closed-door altercation, could explain his abrupt decision to dismiss easily his most successful GM in franchise history. One who immediately navigated his team from the doldrums of salary cap hell, straight to the height of it’s existence as a franchise — changing the city’s culture in the process.

That Jerry Richardson is exercising his right to operate his business in line with his core convictions, is admirable no doubt. But so too is the fact that Dave Gettleman was ushered out the same way he was brought in, doing it his way — and being good at it.

You’ve now seen the flurry of articles this week about Jerry Richardson bringing back that warm family feeling to his organization, echoed by the satisfied cheers of several former players whom were all shown the door by Gettleman.

While many fans immediately took to social media to back the elation of their past heroes, I’d ask if they truly believe this latest move was made in their best interest. After all, Richardson’s own handwritten message (outwardly posted in every corner of the stadium), contends that the “fan is the most valuable member of his team.”

After firing the GM who brought a feeling of stability to his franchise that it’s never seen before, that’s a harder to convince me of than ever. The fact that the move was made two months after letting former assistant GM Brandon Beane leave to take the head job in Buffalo, only adds to the frustration.

Yes, Jerry Richardson is the man responsible for bringing the NFL to the Carolinas in the first place, and should be afforded every right to operate his franchise in line with the family-first convictions that he identifies with. In fact, he should be respected for it. But today as he sits in his office on Mint Street, overlooking the stadium that his fans funded, he owes it to those very same fans to come out and say that.

While Dave Gettleman’s management style has been in question all week, he did provide those fans with the most memorable four year stretch in franchise history, and it’s not even really close. Only four teams — the New England Patriots, Seattle Seahawks, Denver Broncos, and Green Bay Packers accumulated more playoff wins during his tenure — bringing the oft-forgotten Panthers to the forefront of becoming an internationally recognized brand.

 

If you want to debate if Gettleman was the right man for the job, for this city, and for this organization — I’ll have that conversation with you. But do you know who is absolutely not fit to run a complex NFL organization? Josh Norman, DeAngelo Williams, Steve Smith, and Mike Tolbert, to start.

 

Its okay Dave I know how you feel! #agent89🕵🏼 #stevesmithsr

A post shared by Ace and SmittySr (@aceandsmitty) on Jul 17, 2017 at 10:20am PDT

 

In the coming months, interim GM Marty Hurney will be tasked with shuffling the roster all throughout training camp, staring down the barrel of impending major contracts such as Thomas Davis and Greg Olsen, and governing the many roster moves that take shape during regular season play — which Gettleman proved to have great success with. I’m sure Hurney is not the same man he was five years ago when he was shown the door after several ill-advised contracts, but he’ll have his hands full as he attempts to return a 6-win team to Super Bowl glory.

Is Eastland Mall Location Really No Good for MLS or Is This The Return of The East Charlotte Boogiemonster?

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honeybeetryouts

*Deep Breath* OK, so you don’t want the former Eastland Mall location to become the home of a MLS stadium. let’s call this like it is. You don’t want the stadium to be in East Charlotte and you want to have it in Elizabeth neighborhood because you are scared of the boogieman that writers and news stations in this city created.

Sure, I get it. Put it at Memorial Stadium and you’ve got some pretty skyline pictures for Instagram but you are effectively cutting off the largest potential market for this team in Charlotte. You will get the rich kids from south Charlotte and their families who pump thousands of dollars a year into their kids club teams BUT you will make it practically inaccessible to some of the largest soccer fans in this city.

I love this city but people need to get over the fear of leaving their own zip codes. I fell in love with soccer playing in the parks of north and east Charlotte. In no part of this city will you find more people playing the beautiful game. One of us was a teacher and soccer coach for a school in East Charlotte and let me tell you that the love for soccer in that area puts our love for Hornets and Panthers to shame. This boogieman that was created destroyed not only Eastland Mall but stunted the growth of that entire part of the city and for years the city and media has done nothing to rectify that.

Here is your chance to make amends and bring life back to a very under appreciated location. 10-15 minutes from uptown, smack dab in the middle between north and south Charlotte, lots and and lots of space to make it happen, a strip that already has the foundation for business and a place that everyone has been watching and waiting for years to see what the city was gonna do with it.

Yea the MLS may want a stadium uptown but we all know that is not the right location for it and if you put the stadium in Elizabeth you may as well call it the South Charlotte MLS team. It’s time to put some money in other parts of the city that we have been grossly neglecting for years. As far as Memorial Stadium I think we have done our fair share of tearing down historical locations in this city, it is time to pump the breaks for a decade.

If You Are a Charlotte Restaurant, It’s Time for You to Play Charlotte! 

Scotty & Evan 1 Comment

We (Buzz Bros) went out the other night to a well known Charlotte establishment to eat and watch the Hornets vs Spurs game (we won’t name the establishment on the blog because we sufficiently roasted them on Twitter). We were in the main room of the restaurant and it had more than 15 TV’s. There was 1 TV playing the Hornets game and we were seated across the room with several obstructions and poles between us and that single TV. So we asked our server if one of the 6 adjacent TV’s closer to us (all showing Seahawks vs Lions game) 1 inch apart from each other could be switched to the Hornets game. She went and asked her manager and we were told that he wouldn’t switch it. So we asked to be moved to a table closer to the Hornets game. 

We were slightly frustrated because 1 of the 6 TV’s (all next to one another) could easily be changed and EVERYONE including the 1 Seahawks fan wearing gear could still watch the game from every imaginable angle. We didn’t get upset or say anything until the TV that we asked to be changed was then changed 5 minutes later to motor cross… yes, you read that right… motor cross is ok but not the CHARLOTTE Hornets! 

Quick TV Count:

9- NFL Playoffs

2- Motor Cross

2- Arkansas vs Kentucky

1- CHARLOTTE HORNETS

This has been less of an issue since the return of the Hornets name but it is still a problem that rears its ugly head and it baffles us! Charlotte businesses were not just a year ago talking on the news about how excited they were for the potential economic impact that an All-Star game would have for them but won’t accommodate CHARLOTTE Hornets fans! So we want to help Hornets fans!

This is why we created the “Play Charlotte” page. Not only is it there to call out those places that won’t support local but will also showcase and assist those establishments in the Queen City that are Hornets Fan Friendly!

If you own a local business and you show Hornets and Panthers games we encourage you to contact us at bringbackthebuzz@gmail.com so that you can take over Play Charlotte and we can share you with the Hornets Community! OR If you are a fan at a place who won’t show the game or you want to show love to a place that is please tweet at us! 

This is how we as fans can change the culture!

Twitter: @PlayCharlotte 

Instagram: @PlayCharlotte 

Facebook

Small market is not an excuse anymore. We were awarded the All-Star game, look at the successful Greg Olsen campaign. Businesses were quick to benefit from the market flourishing but turn around and use it as an excuse not to accommodate. You can’t have it both ways and not expect to be called out. 

The Forgotten Hornet: Cody Zeller

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By Trace Walker  ()

Photo Credits to Sam Sharpe of USA Today Sports

The 2013 NBA draft was not the most star-studded draft in NBA history. In retrospect, the best players to come out of it were Victor Oladipo, C.J. McCollum, Giannis Antetokounmpo,  and Steven Adams. With the fourth pick of the draft, the Charlotte Bobcats selected Cody Zeller out of Indiana University.

Since then, Zeller hasn’t quite lived up to producing the numbers that are expected from a top-five pick. That’s okay though–Zeller knows his role on the team and plays it well; providing tremendous hustle, decent rim protection, and some rim rattling dunks.

Cody is currently having his best season as a pro; averaging nearly 11 points, a significant increase from his career average of 8 PPG. What’s impressive about this, is that Zeller basically gets zero plays called specifically for him. Cody mainly scores after initiating a pick for his teammates and rolling to the basket where the ball handler hits him for a dunk or layup. Other than that, Zeller gets his touches and buckets by fighting for 50/50 balls and offensive rebounds.

This play is a perfect example of what Zeller has been doing all season, pointed out by @Nick_Sciria, Cody battles KAT for the defensive rebound, runs the floor then gets two offensive rebounds, eventually setting Kemba up for a layup.

Cody Zeller can often be forgotten on the Hornets because his determination and grit isn’t as pretty as Kemba’s step-back or as smooth as Nic Batum but Zeller is still a crucial piece of the team. To show Charlotte’s appreciation for Cody, I made this video which showcases some of his best plays so far this season.

The Hornets are back in action in Zeller’s home state of Indiana tonight, December 12th 2016, catch the game at 7:00.

Hornets Start the Season with a Buzz

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By Trace Walker ()

Prior to the start of the NBA season, many raised concerns about this year’s Hornets; who would fill Jeremy Lin’s spot? What would the loss of Big Al Jefferson mean?

Seven games into the season and Hornet fans have pushed their worries aside and are buzzing with excitement about their team.

A start of 6-1 is the best in Charlotte history and the Hornet’s aren’t looking to slow down any time soon. The team’s play has remained strong despite injuries to key role players. Jeremy Lamb hasn’t played since October 29 due to a hamstring issue. There hasn’t been much word on his return; he’s been ruled out for Friday’s game against the Raptors.

The Hornet’s new big man, Roy Hibbert, has also not seen much playing time as he has been out with knee soreness. Roy should be back soon, he is expected to return against Toronto but will most likely get limited minutes. When the ex-Pacer has played, he’s made his presence known.  In thethe season opener, Hibbert recorded five blocks.

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Hibbert’s stat line against the Bucks

In the recent past, the Hornet’s have been known more for their defensive prowess than their scoring ability. That changed last year when Charlotte’s offensive firepower drastically increased. The Hornet’s are building upon that foundation and are perhaps becoming the most versatile team the franchise has seen. With the quick Kemba driving the lane and dishing it to a plethora of shooters, the Hornets can put points up quickly.

Against the Pacers, Charlotte put up 75 points in the first half; tying a record that hasn’t been touched since Hornet’s announcer, Dell Curry, was still suited up in the purple and teal.

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(Courtesy of The Charlotte Observer) 

This team has weapons all around on offense. It’s much more enjoyable to watch a game compared to the good ole’ Bobcat days when making a three-pointer was a rarity. In a ten year period, the team only broke into the top twenty, in terms of three-pointers made in the NBA, once. Last year, they ranked fourth in the NBA, the highest ranking of the sorts Charlotte has received since 1994. Now, it seems that just about every player on the floor can put up a good shot from deep at any time. The 3-point onslaught is currently led by Kemba Walker who is averaging three a game. 

 The cardiac kid hasn’t just been shooting threes though, Walker’s ball handling, driving ability, and poise is the back bone of this team.

Kemba has been leading his team to wins in style.

Kemba step back still going strong 💪🏽 https://t.co/xdQ2PpHdnS

The Hornets have  found success because they don’t rely on one person to score. Each player has their role and plays it well. Over this winning stretch, the bench has played tremendously. Several players have stepped up to put in solid minutes when the starters are on the bench. In Wednesday night’s game against the Jazz, the Hornet bench outscored their opponent’s 41-20.

Frank Kaminsky has looked stronger and much more “NBA ready” than his rookie season. It seems that he is able to get himself in better positions and possesses an expanded arsenal of offensive moves

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Frank the Tank has been averaging 11.4 points per game, an upgrade from 7.5 last year.

Spencer Hawes has also been showing his worth to the team. He’s proved that he can consistently be a viable option on offense while also holding his own on defense. Hawes has put up double-digit scoring in four games so far this season, let’s hope his contributions keep coming.

At first I wasn’t quite sure what to think about Marco Belinelli joining the team, but his presence is slowing growing on me. He’s better on defense than I previously thought, and is able to contribute some scoring. His ability to take and make big shots will definitely come in handy as the seasons goes on.

 Hopefully his chemistry with the team will also grow over the duration of the year!

The Hornets are currently second in the East and on a four game win streak. The team has gotten some good wins at the start of the season but their strength will be tested in the next few coming games. On Friday, the Hive will host the NBA’s leading scorer, Demar Derozan, and the Toronto Raptor’s in what should be a dog fight.

After that they will travel to Cleveland to take on LeBron James and the defending NBA champions. The Hornets will then continue north to Minnesota, where they’ll match up against the young but dynamic Timberwolves.

Thanks for reading and as always, go Hornets!

BUZZ WEEKLY:HORNETS OFF TO STRONG START

David W. Walters Leave a comment

So far, so good in Buzz City.

The Hornets sit at 4-1 five games into the season, with their only stumbling block being a loss to the Boston Celtics in their home opener. They have managed to compile this record despite suffering a few injuries along the way to some key pieces to the team.

After a strong debut in the Hornets first game, Roy Hibbert has remained sidelined with what has been described as “knee soreness,” which can certainly be cause for concern for a big man, particularly in the early stages of the season. The Hornets have managed to play well on defense despite his absence; they rank fourth in the league in defensive efficiency, allowing a stingy 95.4 points per outing while also ranking near the top in blocked shots as a team.

As well as Charlotte has played thus far, it would probably be in their best interest to take their time with the veteran big man in order to preserve him for the latter part of the season as he was ultimately brought in to be the veteran defensive stopper the Hornets lacked in the playoffs last season.

Guard Jeremy Lamb is also out nursing an injured hamstring. He is initially listed as being out for 1-2 weeks but, hamstring injuries can be nagging, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see the team be cautious with this one also.

Philadelphia 76ers v Charlotte Hornets

Photo credit (NBAE/Getty Images)

Moving on to the early successes of the team, the Hornets have notched victories against Milwaukee, Miami, Philadelphia and Brooklyn. While that isn’t necessarily murderers row, it IS four W’s in the win column, and I think Hornets fans will take a start like this any day of the week.

This team underwent an offensive renaissance last season, after years of setting the tone with their defensive identity, by spreading the floor and adopting a four-out, one-in approach that helped them to a good playoff showing last year. While the offensive principles remain basically the same this year, the team seems to have balanced the focus out better this season, with an emphasis on both sides of the ball and their record boasts the results of that renewed focus.

The team has four games coming up in the coming week after a leisurely start to the season. The Hornets start a three game homestand Monday against the Indiana Pacers who, after a slow start to the season, are coming off a strong showing against the Bulls. It will be a homecoming of sorts for former Hornets big man Al Jefferson, but most of the focus will be on superstar Paul George, point guard Jeff Teague and emerging young center Myles Turner.

Next up will be a second home game against the Utah Jazz. They are another young, up-and-coming team that plays a style similar to the Hornets. They also feature an emerging star big man in Rudy Gobert and forward Gordon Hayward, who is a cognitive piece to their offense, has just returned from injury and looks to be picking up where he left of last season. Newly acquired point guard George Hill is having an offensive resurgence in Utah, leading the team in points and assists.

To finish off the homestand on Friday night, the Toronto Raptors come to town. They are a top five defensive team, they are battle tested and they will be a legit test from a strong playoff contender for the Hornets. Guard DeMar DeRozan has been on an absolute tear this season so far, leading the league in scoring at the moment with 33.7 points per game.

That game should serve as a good springboard for a Sunday afternoon tilt with the defending NBA champion Cleveland Cavaliers. I obviously don’t have to build this one up much, this will serve as the teams biggest test of the season as the Hornets match up with the likes of LeBron, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love. As of now, the Cavs sport the leagues only undefeated record at 6-0, and their offense is clicking as they are leading the league in scoring at 112.3 points per contest.

Those are four tough games on the schedule in the next seven days and they should serve to show us what kind of team we really have this season in Charlotte. Realistically, I can see them coming out of this four game stretch with another three victories, but that will take disciplined play.

The Hornets can ill afford to have slow starts to these games as they did against Brooklyn on Friday. These are all strong defensive teams and if we allow them to set their defensive tone early, it will be tough to get things going afterwards.

Charlotte Hornets v Brooklyn Nets

Photo Credit (NBAE/Getty Images)

Now that all that is out of the way, let’s boast about this team a little bit.

Nic Batum has recently appointed himself as the head of the “Get Kemba to the All-Star Game” committee. (*while having the all-star game here would certainly help his cause…cough, cough*) Walker has had an efficient start to his season so far, averaging 24.4 points per game to go with 4.6 assists and three boards per game. He is shooting more efficiently this season and it’s obvious how much the team trusts Kemba down the stretch.

Meanwhile, Batum is filling the stat sheet across the board and MKG has injected a spark into this team on a nightly basis while leading all small forwards in rebounding with 9.2 boards per game.

Cody Zeller has played efficiently and Frank the Tank is getting the opportunity to show off the versatility that led the Hornets to draft him. Marvin Williams hasn’t had the best start to the season, struggling with his shooting in a few games, but he has so far shown a penchant for making the right shots when we need them the most.

Belinelli has seen his minutes increase with the absence of Lamb and he has answered the call with his court vision and basketball IQ that made him a player that Cho has coveted.

Even Spencer Hawes, the player most often brought up in Hornets trade scenarios, has shown where he fits in on this team. Hawes isn’t going to wow anybody with his athleticism or his man bun, but he does have an accurate shot with range and an incredible basketball IQ as well. He has filled in well during Hibbert’s absence and he has provided a steady hand in the Hornets strong start to the season.

And then there are the intangibles; the chemistry and culture that this team has built in the locker room is conducive to winning. On Friday, former Hornet Jeremy Lin echoed the sentiment from last season that the Hornets locker room is how all NBA locker rooms should be. He’s not the first player, current or former, to comment on the chemistry this team exhibits. Coach Clifford has helped build a culture in Charlotte that the players can buy into, and that’s something that takes time and enough belief in each other to handle the responsibility they’re given.

While the teams 4-1 jump out of the gates is very encouraging, this week’s slate of games can help us get a better scope of what we have in this team. We’ve got a good thing going here at the Hive this season, so sit back and enjoy the view from up here Hornets fans. Until next time, KEEP BUZZIN’!!!

 

 

you can follow David W. Walters @Original_DWade.