Hornets' Roy Hibbert: Settling into backup role at center

HIbbert played 17 minutes in Friday's 100-96 win over the Hawks, producing one point (0-1 FG, 1-2 FT) and three rebounds.

Analysis:

The Hornets initially planned to restrict HIbbert's playing time upon his return from a sore knee last week, and even though he's endured no setbacks in his first four games back, it appears that a sub-20-minute role is the new reality for the center. The 17 minutes he received Friday were Hibbert's most in the four games, as Cody Zeller seems to have fully gained the confidence of coach Steve Clifford as the team's starting center. Hibbert can probably be dropped in most formats at this point.