Hornets Guards Lead Team Through Tough Battle with the 76ers In Summer League Showdown
The Charlotte Hornets defeated the Philadelphia 76ers 96-94 on Saturday night in their second game in the NBA 2K26 Summer League. Charlotte dominated for the majority of the game, but had to survive a Philadelphia comeback to hold on for the two-point win. This was a great time for the Hornets to deal with a bit of adversity. The biggest difference in the game was the Charlotte guards, as they controlled the majority of the game by dictating the pace and making timely shots. KJ Simpson had 19 points, seven rebounds, and four assists, and Tidjane Salaun had 16 points, six rebounds, and two assists. This was a big-time showcase for the two Hornets draft picks from last season.
Another standout for Charlotte was that they shot 38 percent from three-point range, which was impressive to see, considering the team had struggled to shoot the deep ball last season. One of the biggest standouts for the Hornets Summer League team so far has been Liam McNeely, the small forward from UConn, who has been a consistent scorer, scoring in all three phases of the game. McNeely has a knack for the three-ball, and the 76ers did a good job of taking him away from the three-point line, but he capitalized by scoring in the mid-range and the paint. Through the first two games, the former five-star recruit has been impressive so far and has displayed the skills that showed why Charlotte drafted him. The Hornets' other first-round pick, Kon Knueppel, did not play in this game, so McKneely made the most of his opportunity to shine.
The Summer League is a time to showcase rookies and second-year players. Just like I mentioned above, the second-year guys showed improvement in the second year in Charles Lee's system. Both Simpson and Salaun made tough baskets down the stretch as the Sixers were making a comeback. This was a game that showed how the team responded to adversity with a group that is comprised of young, up-and-coming players in the NBA. Simpson showed poise and determination heading to the basket and dishing the ball out to his teammates. Salaun is starting to put all the tools together on both ends of the court. He was in double figures once again tonight and used his length to block two shots on the defensive side of the ball. What both these second-year players showed is that they are setting the example of what the culture in Charlotte is going to look like for the foreseeable future.
