betprepare.com

The Hornets still after playoffs

They're three games behind eighth-placed Pistons, but by beating Wizards and Hawks they raised their confidence. Besides, they beat Orlando in the last six head-to-heads

Getty Images

Even though they still haven't been eliminated from the playoffs battle, it's clear that Orlando won't make it there this season. They have 11 games left until the end, and they're 8.5 games behind. Currently only the Nets are worst than them, but in the last two games they tied wins.

After the win against the Suns, they also beat the 76ers 112-109 with a big comeback. At half-time coach Vogel wrote "energy" on the whiteboard in the locker room, and his players took it seriously. They made up for falling 17 points behind from half-time, and in the end they earned the win in the overtime.

With it, for the first time this year, they managed to tie two wins.

- The coach's speech woke us up because we weren't playing well. When you're facing a team who play with such energy, then you have to match them up. I think we managed to do that in the end - said Payton who ended the game with 10 points and 13 rebounds.

They were led by Vucevic with 26 recorded points and 13 rebounds, but in the second half Ross, Fournier, Biyombo and Payton were also good. Ross recorded 11 of his 15 points in the second half, Fournier recorded 19, and Biyombo contributed with a lot of energy. Gordon recorded 17 points with three rebounds and four assists.

Orlando will now host the Hornets who have beaten them in the last six games, and the last one was especially convincing - the Hornets won with 40 points of difference. They're hoping to continue the run tonight as well, and with it they would reach their third win in a row, which they desperately need.

In two home games they recorded very important wins against the Wizards and the Hawks, so they're only three games behind the eighth Pistons. They beat the Hawks 105-90, and the key difference were made in the middle two quarters which they've won with 64-49, while the remaining two were tied.

Nicolas Batum and Kemba Walker recorded 16 points each, and the comeback Kaminsky recorded 14 points and five assists, even though he had a bad start. He was the key in the 23-4 series which the Hornets made at the start of the second quarter.

- I always used to struggle if I would miss the shots at the start of the game. Now, even when I miss them, my plan is to keep moving forward, my way of thinking completely changes - said Kaminsky.

Coach Clifford also praised him after the game:

- When he's not thinking about the mistakes but trusts his instincts, then his talent becomes visible. He's always his biggest critics, but the fact is that he's playing better.

From starters, Williams was also double-digit with 13 points and eight rebounds, while Lamb was efficient from the bench and for only 17 minutes recorded 12 points. Kidd-Gilchrist twisted his ankle in the third quarter so he had to leave the game. But the injury wasn't serious so he'll be able to play tonight.