Follow & Subscribe on all Podcast platforms…
🎧
Locked On NBA League-Wide: Every Team, Fantasy, Draft, WNBA & More
🎧
📲 Follow Locked On Hornets on Twitter
Locked On Hornets
Walker Mehl
Doug Branson
📺 Follow Locked On NBA:
Get Doug’s gamenotes, special articles and a podcast on Hornets history at the Every Hornets Boxscore substack: everyhornetsboxscore.com
📢 Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! | Offers from our sponsors: lockedonpodcasts.com/offers
Built Bar
Built Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order.
PrizePicks
First time users can receive a 100% instant deposit match up to $100 with promo code LOCKEDON. That’s PrizePicks.com – promo code; LOCKEDON
LinkedIn
LinkedIn Jobs helps you find the qualified candidates you want to talk to, faster. Post your job for free at LinkedIn.com/LOCKEDONNBA
FanDuel
Make Every Moment More. Place your first FIVE DOLLAR bet to get ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS in Free Bets – win or lose! Visit Fanduel.com/LockedOn today to get started
FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)
#Hornets #LaMelo #LaMeloBall #CharlotteHornets #NBA #MichaelJordan
Happy to be joined by the great Howard Beck I'm going to talk some ownership Talk but first uh Howard I want to talk About the NBA playoffs you're very Familiar with that you've covered it for A long time the Hornets uh and maybe Hornets fans are not so familiar with Playoff basketball because the franchise Has not won a playoff series in a 20 Exactly uh 21 years almost to the date The the amount of time that the Hornets Have not won a playoff series is legally Allowed to drink in the United States so So um they do have a few reasons to Hope Though they've got lamelo ball possibly A top pick in this coming NBA draft and They've got a coach in Steve Clifford Who seems like he has an understanding Of how to build in the regular season For the type of game that wins in the Playoffs and he harps on that a lot so I Want to ask you as someone who's covered This extensively and have talked to a Lot of the major players what makes the NBA Playoffs a different kind of game Than the regular season and beyond Having a lot of talents I mean that's Obviously going to win you playoff Series but beyond that what sets teams Apart that can win playoff series versus Teams that are just happy to be invited To the party yeah well thanks for having Me Doug um condolences to all the Hornets fans who have been waiting a
Very very long time for a breakthrough Um since I'm based in New York and I'm Seeing like the absolute exhilaration And joy among Nick's fans who are Finally back and of course they were in A couple years ago too but they hadn't Won a playoff series in 10 years Um so I I I know well through uh my Surroundings and Friends uh the the Emotional toll that the drought has I Also have Northern California Roots uh And uh obviously the Kings finally had Their breakthrough after a very very Long drought so uh the funny thing about The Hornets drought of course not not Funny not really humorous funny but uh It's actually part hornets part Bobcats Part other Hornets who are now Pelicans That are involved in this this long Drought so it's a very confusing drought Um which somehow speaks to the state of Uh NBA basketball in Charlotte over the Last couple of decades but anyway Um let's let's hope that they find their Way through who knows maybe a Victor Wimbleyama lands in their lap in a Couple of months and and we're having a Much different discussion this summer Um The play it's a funny thing about the Playoffs being quote unquote different Right they obviously are Um and Steve Clifford as a veteran coach Knows that well when you drill down and
You try to get people to explain with The why It gets really interesting because it's It's this kind of even in this era of Advanced stats and all this extra data And all the study that's been done I think people in the game struggle with How to explain it well the game slows Down why does it slow down you know and I'm not sure if that's really the truth Anymore but uh I'd have to look up the Pace stats just to see if that still uh Holds but that's the belief I think there's a couple things that are Just very I don't want to say obvious but I mean They should be readily apparent right One you've you've gotten rid of all the Really bad teams right so you might have Been a great regular season team that Doesn't hold up in the postseason we've Seen that happen before because Sometimes you're you're a team that's Built to you know beat all the bad teams And beat the good teams just enough Right the truly great teams are the Teams that have that you know uh you Know undefinable combination of high-end Talent a certain kind of chemistry and Um a cohesion And it's it's a hard thing to to Um you know put a definition on the Playoffs are different so so there's That part of it the playoffs are
Different because you were only playing Other good teams good to Great teams Then there's the fact that because Defense is has been kind of Determinative in Champions you can start Going back from finals to Western Conference to the conference final Rounds the semifinal rounds and it'll Maybe be a little bit less with each Round that you're moving backwards but Defense matters more and so part of what Happens whether it's the game slowing Down whether it's just harder to score Uh you know score in in the postseason Um You are almost by definition facing much Better defensive teams uh you've gotten Rid of all the really crappy ones Um And so there's that aspect and then on a Very just basic human level the stakes Are higher and so everything Feels more important and so every Possession has this added urgency the The buildings themselves you know come Alive in a different way because the Fans are involved at a different level And these are things that we still can't Quantify no matter how many cameras are In the rafters no matter how many things That Synergy or second Spectrum all this Stuff that we try to measure and Quantify you can't quantify the human Element of this matters more now
I feel differently when I go out on the Court the fans sound different And it is lending a different aspect to Every possession and so Um that may just be the an intensity Level on the positive side it may be an Anxiety level on the negative side and Where look just no look no further than The Cleveland Cavaliers absolutely Folding in the first round Um and all credit due to the niche for Having you know caused them to wilt on Some level but some of that seems to me Just to see just to be young players who Are caught in the glare and just didn't Know what to do in that moment Darius Garland and Evan Mobley are much better Players than they showed in that series And it wasn't entirely just the Knicks Shutting them down they just missed Shots and and did not seem up for the Moment they're young Um that intensity level can have Different effects on on guys so Um that's my my best attempt Um to kind of off the top of my head Describe something that I feel like is Still kind of Um undefinable yeah no I think it was a Great description I think that uh the The anxiety of playing with those kind Of stakes manifests itself in a lot of Different ways uh sometimes it could man Especially with young teams that can
Manifest itself uh you know and maybe Calling a team old or or calling a Superstar uh you know old you know so Same things you shouldn't say yeah yeah It I'll even add this before I forget It even affects us the media I there was A younger reporter who I ran into along The way uh within the last couple of Weeks who mentioned to me I know that covering these games is the Same as all the other games I've covered But this feels different I said yeah it Is it is and like I've been doing this For 26 years and I walk into an arena For a playoff game especially for the Finals I have no emotional investment I Don't care about the outcome I still I Get these weird kind of butterflies Myself and part of it is my own Kind of you know hey I want to I want to Write a really great story about this Especially on the night that the Championship is going to be decided if You if you know going in that that's the Night it may happen I do find I put more Of a pressure on myself even as a writer To capture the moment yeah and so it is Impossible to walk into these buildings In the playoffs and not feel it it is a Different energy [Music]
Things to Do in Charlotte North Carolina
Events, Life
The Charlotte area is booming with activities and things to do. From festivals to sporting events, there’s something going on every weekend. You can enjoy a girl’s night out with wine and appetizers at a wine bar, a guys’ night watching sports at the local pubs or take the whole family to a concert in the park.
You can also take a break from the hustle and bustle of city life by heading out to one of the many green spaces in Charlotte. Studies have shown that it’s good for your health and wellness to get some fresh air! Charlotte is a city full of parks with beautiful vistas and plenty of space to play frisbee or relax on a blanket.
People are drawn to the Queen City for it’s southern charm, friendly people and affordable cost of living. The city is a popular choice for those moving from bigger cities like New York or San Francisco. According to Glassdoor, Charlotte ranks as the #24 best city to find a job and is home to companies including Bank of America and Lowe’s.
The city is also a huge sports hub, especially when it comes to the Carolina Panthers, Charlotte Hornets and NASCAR. The people are crazy about their teams and it’s a lot of fun to be surrounded by all the enthusiasm for local sports. Niche has given Charlotte’s public schools an above average rating, so it’s a great place to move if you have kids.