The Sixers returned from a four-game road trip on Tuesday but were not greeted home with a win. Shorthanded with only 10 healthy players, they lost to the Hornets, 100-85.
The Sixers dropped to 9-66 while the playoff-hungry Hornets improved to 43-31.
Inside the box score
Nicolas Batum recorded a triple-double with 19 points (8 for 16 from the floor), 12 rebounds and 12 assists. Cody Zeller added an 18-point, 11-rebound double-double. Marvin Williams and Al Jefferson each pulled down nine boards.
Robert Covington led the Sixers with 18 points (6 for 14 from three), seven rebounds, three steals and two assists. Ish Smith scored 15 points (6 for 17 from the field), six assists and three rebounds. Hollis Thompson grabbed a career-high 10 rebounds and scored eight points (2 for 11 from the field, 2 for 6 from three-point range).
Elton Brand finished with seven points and nine rebounds in a season-high 19 minutes off the bench. The last time Brand grabbed at least nine rebounds in a game was Nov. 29, 2014, also against the Hornets.
Turning point
The Sixers trailed by only three early in the second quarter. The Hornets went on an 8-0 run to push their lead to 33-22. Batum scored five points and grabbed three rebounds during the stretch while the Sixers shot 0 for 5.
NBA
Injuries
Nerlens Noel (right knee contusion), Jerami Grant (right knee and quad contusion) and Richaun Holmes (right Achilles strain) did not play. Sixers head coach Brett Brown said before the game Noel and Grant would miss Tuesday and Friday’s contests (see story).
Three-happy
The Sixers attempted a season-high 44 three-pointers against the Hornets and tied a season-high with 16 made. Their previous high in attempts was 37, set last week against the Nuggets. The Sixers set the tone early, attempting 13 threes in the first quarter, their most of any quarter this season.
Don’t touch the paint
The Sixers scored a season-low 22 points in the paint. They average 44.2 on the season, a figure that is going to decrease with the absence of key bigs. In the past three games without Noel, though, they averaged 36.7 points.
Up next
The Sixers and Hornets will face off again on Friday in Charlotte. Then the Sixers will return home to play the Pacers on Saturday.