NBA games with major stakes on national television: Few Charlotte Hornets have experienced that, and you don’t learn how to cope just by watching.
“It’s something you need to experience. It’s a different game for sure,” veteran forward Gordon Hayward said of Charlotte’s playoff prospects.
Tonight is a dress rehearsal of sorts for the rest of the season. The Hornets play the Eastern Conference-leading Brooklyn Nets in a game nationally televised on TNT. The 24-22 Hornets are fourth in the East standings with a shot at breaking a four-season streak of no playoff appearances.