Charlotte Hornets player grades from 16-point victory over Brooklyn

The Charlotte Hornets are no joke.

After a rocky preseason, the Hornets have now won their first three regular season games, including a 111-95 victory over the star-studded Brooklyn Nets on Sunday.

Following being down by nine at halftime, the Hornets tied up the game at the end of the third, which was followed up by a dominant fourth quarter, outscoring the Nets 32-17.

For the second consecutive game, Miles Bridges led the way for Charlotte with 32 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block. Bridges’ ability to hit shots at all three levels as well as attack the glass and help defend Kevin Durant was impressive in Sunday’s win.

LaMelo Ball finished with 18 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists.

Check out the individual player grades below.

LaMelo Ball: B

LaMelo was solid on Sunday against the Nets, finishing with 18 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists. Head coach James Borrego said that during the fourth quarter when the Hornets went on their run to take a double-digit lead, Ball told him to leave Ish Smith in the game. That move right there from LaMelo shows humility and an unselfishness that some star players don’t have.

Kelly Oubre Jr.: B

Kelly Oubre Jr. got the start for the second time in three games as Terry Rozier missed another game while battling his left ankle sprain. Oubre Jr. struggled shooting the ball on Sunday, scoring just 9 points on 4-of-13 shooting. But his offensive struggles were made up for on the glass and defensive end, grabbing 9 rebounds and making James Harden work throughout the game.

Gordon Hayward: B-

Hayward struggled to get going offensively on Sunday, going scoreless in the first half. But in the second half, Hayward scored 14 points to go along with his 3 rebounds and 6 assists for the game. In games where Hayward can’t get it going offensively, to have contributions from Ish Smith and Cody Martin is huge for the Hornets.

Miles Bridges: A+

Once again, Miles Bridges was phenomenal for the Hornets, scoring over 30 points for the second-straight game. You can see the evolution in Bridges’ game through the first three games as his confidence and efficiency to score at all three levels has reached new heights.

On top of Bridges’ versatility on the defensive end, he’s been the undisputed MVP for the Hornets through the first three games.

Ish Smith: A

The addition of Ish Smith to the Hornets bench has been nothing short of a success so far this season. The veteran presence that Smith brings to Charlotte’s second unit has been great to watch, as he finished Sunday’s game with 14 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists as he helped lead the fourth quarter surge for the Hornets victory.

Cody Martin: A

Cody Martin has been somewhat of a pleasant surprise for the Hornets so far. Not that he hasn’t been productive in the past but he’s now playing a significant, consistent role off the bench for the Hornets. Martin finished with 12 points, 3 rebounds, 5 assists, and 1 steal in just over 32 minutes in Sunday’s victory.

For the Hornets, who are only playing 9 players in Borrego’s rotation, Martin has shown to be a vital part of that.

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