Charlotte Hornets have lost 3 games in a row. Why coach James Borrego isn’t worried.

The Hornets lost a close game Saturday in what could have been a win, or at least a trip to overtime, had a foul been called in the final seconds against Toronto.

The NBA’s two-minute report later confirmed that a foul should have been called on Toronto’s Stanley Johnson for making contact with the Hornets’ Terry Rozier as he attempted to even the score with a missed 3-point shot in Charlotte’s 116-113 defeat. Instead at the buzzer, the Hornets settled for their third loss in row.

Hornets coach James Borrego said after the game he thought there was a foul on Rozier. He paused for six seconds during a media call Monday as he considered a diplomatic response to a question about his reaction to the missed call. He said he was frustrated, but recognized that moving on was the only option.

“This has happened to us before,” Borrego said. “I’m not sure it will be the last time. It is what it is and it’s unfortunate. It’s disappointing. But there’s things that we could have controlled to put ourselves in a better position and that’s all I can focus on — is what can I control?”

Also out of Borrego’s control is another NBA game postponement announced Monday. The Hornets were scheduled to face the Washington Wizards at home Wednesday, but the game has been postponed in accordance with the league’s health and safety protocols. This is the 15th game postponed during the 2021 NBA season, but it’s the first to impact the Hornets this year.

Borrego spoke with the media before the announcement was made Monday afternoon.

Despite the Hornets’ recent string of losses to put them at 6-8 and ninth in the Eastern Conference, Borrego sounded optimistic about the direction of the team that’s benefiting from the additions of 19-year-old standout LaMelo Ball and former NBA All-Star Gordon Hayward.

Offensively, Borrego said the “metrics are there” and prided the team on ball movement and distribution. He said they’ve hit their target of increasing fast breaks this season.

“We share the ball at a high level, a consistent level,” he said. “Obviously, we’ve got to clean some things up in the half court and get some better shots, but our shot quality is there.”

Charlotte is ranked first in the league in assists, but is 25th in points and 20th in shot attempts, and suffering from the absence of center Cody Zeller, who is out with a fractured left hand. Bismack Biyombo has been starting for the Hornets with power forward P.J. Washington also getting some time at center.

The team gave up 21 3-pointers to the Raptors on Saturday, a few days after Toronto made 20 against the Hornets in the first of a two-game set played in Tampa, Fla. But Borrego said that looking at the big picture, he thinks the team’s defense is “stabilized” and they’ve “found some footing” on defense early in the season.

“We’d like to win some games over the last three, but we’re putting ourselves in position to win games, which is fantastic for a young team and a growing team,” Borrego said. “It’s not like we’ve been together three, four years. Literally, we’ve been together for a month and we’re learning. We’re growing on the fly and we’ve got to learn during games.”

He said there’s an overall mentality that the team’s “not dropping the sword.”

“We’re right there,” Borrego said. “It’s just about execution down the stretch. One more rebound. One more shot. I like where we’re at. Obviously we’ve got a ways to go, but I feel good about this start so far.”