More injury shuffling for Hornets. What Charlotte said after short-handed loss to Denver

Given the mental anguish inflicted by the absurd number of injuries and losses, the average Charlotte Hornets fan might actually be pleased to peek into their holiday stocking and find a huge lump of coal.

It would probably be a pick-me-up.

Things are that maddening at the moment for these Hornets.

Even on a night when there should’ve been a little excitement — and not just because the defending champions were in town — the fervor Charlotte built up got dampened thanks to — surprise! — more injuries. Already missing three starters since Terry Rozier couldn’t go because of knee soreness, forcing him to join Mark Williams and LaMelo Ball on the bench in street clothes, Brandon Miller exited the Hornets’ 102-95 loss to Denver at Spectrum Center in the first half and never returned.

Miller sprained his right ankle after Nuggets forward Peyton Watson landed extremely hard on the rookie during a drive to the basket late in the opening quarter. He came out of the locker room in the second quarter intending to play, but wound up going for more examination. He’s listed as day-to-day, meaning the Hornets (7-20) might have dodged another key ailment on the same day Cody Martin played in his first game since Jan. 14 after battling general knee soreness for most of the past year-plus.

“It’s always something, man,” Martin said. “That’s the league and that’s the game unfortunately. Everything is not going to be perfect all the time. It’s how we adjust. Even tonight, I think we had guys step up and play very well. Both Nicks (Richards and Smith Jr.) played very well.

“We’re growing in areas and I think all that does is allow guys to gain their experience so when their name is called they are ready. And I think they stay ready and they do a good job of doing that. It will be nice when everybody’s healthy, and we’ve just got to roll with the punches right now and figure it out.”

Through the first two months, Hornet players have missed 114 games due to injury, the second most in the league behind Memphis, according to Spotrac. Seven have been unavailable for at least five games: Martin (26), Frank Ntilikina (26), James Bouknight (15), Ball (10), Rozier (10), Richards (six) and Williams (six).

“It’s frustrating because I know those guys, they want to play,” Miles Bridges said. “But they’ve got to look out for their best interest. Hopefully we can get the whole team back. I feel like we get the whole team back, we’ll be able to win a lot of these games. So I don’t know, next man up mentality.”

Here’s what else the Hornets had to say after losing their seventh straight game:

On getting outscored 30-9 in a rough third quarter

“In the first half, we had really good ball movement,” coach Steve Clifford said. “We’re getting the ball going toward the basket, we had good unselfish play and in the beginning of the third we did none of it. We were coming down playing ISO, the ball is staying on one side of the floor. And they’re too good and too disciplined and you’re not going to get good shots that way. We had some open looks, then we had some drives that we didn’t finish. That, to me, and the turnovers, it’s hard to beat a good team when you turn the ball over that many times.”

“If we have a decent third quarter we win the game,” Bridges said. “So that was the game right there — the third quarter.”

“Obviously ball movement, we were very stagnant on that end coming out in the third and it kind of led to the defensive end of the floor,” PJ Washington said. “That was their best quarter, scoring 30 points. If we do a lot better that quarter, it’s a different game. And we know that.”

On what they’ve learned in these seven consecutive losses

“Our defense is getting better,” Bridges said. “Our defense and our rebounding is getting better. So we’ve just got to build off that and when we get those guys back it will help us even more so we can start putting these Ws up.”

On Nick Smith Jr.

“I just saw confidence,” Bridges said. “Nick, we know he can score the ball at will. So just staying on him about shooting the ball and just playing his game. He really helped us out today and he’s going to continue to have a good season for us.”

“Nick Smith is more of a wing player than he is a point guard,” Clifford said. “So Melo’s injury really doesn’t impact him. He can play some at the point. He was a point guard in college. He was a wing player and I think eventually he can be both. But his strength is his scoring. But I wouldn’t say his best position going forward is to play the point. But no, just continued confidence and understanding of the NBA game.

“That’s the hardest thing for an NBA player. People have to understand. He’s had some good moments. You are talking about a guy that didn’t play a lot in college last year. He was injured most of the year. Most of the games he played he wasn’t 100 percent. He is still trying to make up for that year and learn the NBA game as he goes. He’s got a phenomenal attitude, he’s a great worker and I think he has a bright future.”

On Terry Rozier not playing due to right knee soreness

“Listen, I’ve only been with him here a little over a year,” Clifford said, “and he’s played four or five times when (director of healthcare and performance) Joe (Sharpe) said, ‘It’s going to be hard for him to play,’ and he’s played. So I don’t think they think it’s significant. But obviously for him to not play he didn’t feel good.”

On Mark Williams

“He’s moving around a lot better these last couple of days,” Clifford said. “I think he feels better. I don’t know how close he is. This is a good stretch for us right now because we had two days off and don’t play again until the 26th. So I’m hopeful. He’s in here doing his treatment and doing everything he can to get better. But he was moving better today.”

On the the upcoming six-game road trip and not playing a home game again until Jan. 8

“This is a difficult stretch,” Clifford said. “You can’t look at the NBA schedule. This is as tough a stretch as you’re going to have in our league, these next five, six games. Starting tonight, you could make an argument that the next six are against teams that really would have the goal of winning it and who have the talent level and the roster to do that. You can’t look at it that way, though.

“What we have to do is continue to get better. This last two weeks was not good for us. My message has been, ‘We’ve got to win our share, get better until we get guys back.’ We don’t have a lot of room for error. … One of the things we’re not doing, early in the year we were so inside-out offensively, both in transition and in halfcourt. We’ve struggled with that lately and we’ve got to get back to that.”