Feel free to use it as an excuse, because injuries were definitely a reason the Hornets struggled this season.
As Steve Clifford said in his season-end press conference, there's a difference between a reason and an excuse. Well, it seems totally fair to name injuries as one of the reasons the Hornets underperformed this season, and not feel like you're making an excuse.
So if you can get on board with injuries as a reason the Hornets had a tough season, it's worth exploring just how those injuries affected the team's chances at making the playoffs.