The center spot was supposed to be the Charlotte Hornets’ long-term project this season with Ryan Kalkbrenner being thrown into the mix. Instead, it’s become crystal clear that Moussa Diabate has forced his way into being one of the most indispensable players on the floor every single night, thanks to his relentless work on the glass.
There’s no scenario where the Hornets are sitting in the playoff picture without Diabate’s impact. The starters have all delivered meaningful contributions to shape this team into a legitimate long-term contender, but it’s time to give the Moose his flowers. He’s been the heartbeat of the hustle plays that keep this team afloat.
Second chance swarm
What Diabate brings to the floor, especially for an undersized big, is elite rebounding. His work on the offensive glass is particularly impressive. He’s among the league’s best, grabbing roughly four offensive boards per game, and his 2.7 contested offensive rebounds rank seventh in the NBA.
Those contested rebounds that are secured with defenders draped around him highlight the relentless motor that makes him so valuable. Shots around the rim naturally produce the highest rates of contested rebounds because the ball doesn’t travel far, which elevates the importance of Diabate’s floor presence for a Hornets team that often struggles to generate efficient paint scoring.
And the payoff is massive. Charlotte converts these extra possessions better than anyone in the league in the last 15 games, leading the league with 19.9 second chance points per game. When one player consistently manufactures additional scoring opportunities the way Diabate does, it becomes clear why the Hornets sit inside the top five in offensive rating this season.
The Hornets are playing great basketball and they are riding their three-game home winning streak into their next matchup with the Sacramento Kings. Charlotte needs to maintain their health, as one injury to a vital player could derail the entire season. The sixth seed in the Eastern Conference is very well in play since this team is only 2.5 games back from Atlanta.
There is still a lot of basketball to be played and anything can happen, but the Hornets are basically guranteed the play-in tournament at this point. If Charlotte continues their superb play behind Diabate’s dominance on the glass, they can beat any team in the next eleven games. Diabate doesn’t dominate the headlines like other starting players, but he does the dirty work very well.
