05-09-21 At the Game: Pelicans at Hornets 7pm
There are some Woj and Shams bombs that are a true delight, bringing on a rush of excitement.
And then there are some that are just downright depressing.
Because we had already purchased tickets to attend the Pelicans at Hornets game on Sunday, May 9th, these two tweets were of the depressing variety to the highest degree.
But that’s not what we are about here at basketballin dot net, no sirree.
Sure, Miles Bridges and Zion are two of our favorite players in the entire league (two of the best power dunkers in the game!), and we were obviously looking forward to seeing them play. Yet we didn’t let that stop us from having a good ole time, back at the game in person for the first time in about a year and a half.
We arrived to uptown Charlotte a couple hours before tipoff amidst a sea of teal that was different than the other Hornets pregame atmospheres that we have experienced in uptown. This wasn’t our first rodeo. The Hornets are our hometown team after all, and we are proud to say that Hornets fans, as they should, had an extra pep in their step. They seemed lighthearted and joyful in a way that had not been apparent before. Buzz City was buzzin’ for this team that has become beloved to so many. The secret is out: The Hornets are one of the most fun teams in all of the NBA.
Pregame apps and dranks were downed at a local establishment called The Local, and we skipped over to the Spectrum Center and slid into our seats in section 103 just before the pregame intros.
If there was ever a time to end our current lengthy gambling hiatus and get back on the horse, it was at the game live and in color. So we took the Hornets -3.5 and Over 222.5. We saw the notification earlier in the day that Devonte’ Graham had been ruled out, but somehow we missed the one about Brandon Ingram not playing. That was another bummer in terms of missing out on seeing yet another high-level talent. It was also both beneficial for our Hornets pick while not ideal for the Over. Honestly, even if we had known, it wouldn’t have changed a thing: We were there to root for our beloved Hornets and for points, points, POINTS.
The game tipped and we were off.
Much to our gratification, the points were flowing early and often.
Naji Marshall started us off with a 3 that LaMelo matched a couple possessions later. LaMelo is even quicker and taller in person, always the initiator for the Hornets offense, and he uses his size to his advantage on D.
The hot hand of the first quarter was Eric Bledsoe who had the ultra green light and was firing away like a cowboy on the run. He was connecting, too, 13 points in the first frame.
At the tail end of the first quarter, Nickeil Alexander-Walker threw up a heave from about three quarters court that found the bottom of the net, giving the Pelicans a 34-25 lead after 1, on pace for 236 points.
We needed the Hornets to pick it up, and that’s precisely what they did in the second quarter, outscoring the Pellies by a whopping 19 points!
We knew that we needed a big game from Terry Rozier, having to shoulder more of the scoring without Devonte Graham or Miles Bridges, and still without Gordon Hayward for that matter. Scary Terry knew it as well. Rozier was dialed in, letting 3’s fly and rippin’ the net. Terry drilled three 3’s in the second as we held our trio of middle, ring and pinky fingers so high. (It’s so much more fun to do that in the arena than on the couch.)
The Hornets led by 10 at halftime, 67-57, now on pace for 248. We were looking golden!
And to top it off, in the third quarter we got a slick bounce pass dime from LaMelo out of the pick-and-roll which led to a P.J. Washington power dunk on James Johnson!
We noticeably missed getting to hear Eric Collins and Dell Curry announcing the game, and at no point was that feeling greater than on the PJW power dunk.
Scary Terry ended the third by drilling yet another 3. Entering the fourth quarter, the scoreboard read: Hornets 96, Pelicans 89. The Pelicans were still in it, but our Over was still looking soo good, on pace for 246.
Contrary to the points flowing early and often, the scoring came to a screeching halt in the 4th. Even worse, the game was slipping away from the Hornets. Jaxson Hayes was a defensive stalwart. He was everywhere. Blocking shots, grabbin’ boards and rim runnin’. There was some early chatter about why Willy Hernangomez started over Hayes which we chalked up to A.) this being a Billy Revenge Game and B.) more Stan Van Gundy ineptitude. But at least SVG closed the game with Hayes. And we have to note that Billy did haul in 16 rebounds.
With Hayes roaming and protecting the rim — he finished the game with six blocks — the Hornets really could not buy a bucket. Both teams were also struggling to make their free throws. The Pelicans shot a horrid 10-of-22 from the free throw line.
It was LaMelo who missed two free throws with 1:29 remaining. The Hornets were down 107-109. The Hornets weren’t covering, or even winning, and we only had 216 points. Both of our ships were sinking.
We needed OT, and when it became apparent that OT wasn’t going to happen after Jaxson Hayes blocked another shot, stole the ball on the next Hornets possession and then made a tough little jump hook shot to give the Pelicans a 4-point lead with 13 seconds left, the group was rather deflated.
No Miles Bridges. No Zion. No Devonte’ Graham. No Brandon Ingram. No Gordon Hayward. No Hornets -3.5. No Hornets win. No Over 222.5.
*Big Sigh*
And that is exactly the moment at which they showed us up on the Jumbotron.
“AYYYYYY!!!!!!”
We have always been fascinated by the fact that seeing yourself up on the big screen sends you into a whirlwind of joy, and this moment was no different. If anything, it was heightened by just how much we needed it.
And that’s when we realized something.
We were now sitting at 218 total points (Pelicans 111, Hornets 107) when the Hornets fouled Nickeil Alexander-Walker with 5 seconds left — if he hit both free throws, then the Hornets could come down and hit a 3 and that would give us 223 points for the Over!
N.A.W. missed the first free throw. He made the second.
Rozier dribbled down and quickly jacked up a 3 for essentially no reason at all. (Although it did give him a new career-high 43 points.)
He of course sunk it.
Pelicans 112, Hornets 110.
222 total points. We had Over 222.5.
We only needed one more point. One free throw. The Pels and Hornets combined to miss 15 free throws and if only N.A.W. had made that first free throw at the end, we would have had the miraculous backdoor walk-off cover that we would have called right before it happened.
Instead, it was a Slippery Lock that slipped away and another Bad Beat.
But that’s just the way of the road. And even when it doesn’t go our way (at all)…
We still love this game!
