What: Charlotte Hornets (3-7) (2-4 home) vs Cleveland Cavaliers (5-5) (1-3 away)
When: 7:00pm Eastern
Where: Spectrum Center; Charlotte, NC
How to watch: Local TV (TV 64 in Charlotte), DAZN, NBA League Pass
Outfitting: Hornets–Icon (teal), Cavaliers–Statement (black)
Game Lines: Hornets +9.5, Hornets money line +284, O/U 215.5
Injuries:
Hornets: Moussa Diabate-questionable (quad), Kon Knueppel-out (hamstring), Brandon Miller-out (hip), Dennis Schroder-out (hamstring), Grant Williams-out (hamstring)
Cavaliers: Jarrett Allen-questionable (knee), Sam Merrill-out (elbow), Jaylon Tyson-out (ankle), Nae’Qwan Tomlin-out (back)
These Hornets stink. Depending on how this game goes, I might do a whole rundown of all the things the Hornets are doing that are so bad, largely on the shooting front. In the meantime, we grit our teeth and watch this zombie of a team try to find some life against a Cavaliers team that’s having its own rough start to the season. They’re supposed to be an Eastern Conference contender, but they’ve started out as average as can be. There might be an argument to them having a difficult schedule so far, but they are also losing more often than they’re winning against teams they aspire to be in the same tier as.
Donovan Mitchell is still the best player on the team and is basically exactly the same player he’s been for the past several years. Same goes for Evan Mobley, though he’s shooting the ball a lot better from three so far this season, and Jarrett Allen. There is a guy that’s not his normal self though. James Harden has been brutal this year. He’s looking 37 years old. He’s averaging 15.7 points per game, his lowest since his second year in the league, and shooting just 36.6% from the field. His 3-point shooting is on par with his norm, but he is struggling to finish if he’s forced to score inside the arc, including shooting just 37% at the rim. The game plan for him as to be running him off the arc and not fouling him. Easy as that.
The Cavs as a team have been throwing a bunch of stuff at the wall as they try to get over the hump in the Eastern Conference. This year’s throw includes acquiring Peyton Watson from the Nuggets while sending away Max Strus and welcoming Mario Hezonja’s triumphant return to the NBA. 34th overall pick Meleek Thomas has looked like a steal so far as well.
The Hornets will be without their two best players, so it’s going to have to be the Coby White and Naz Reid show. I have no idea what this is going to look like. At some point all the jumpers have to start falling. Maybe tonight is that night.
