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Clippers vs Hornets Preview: Hopefully Securing an Easy Win
The Clippers head home to take on the lottery-bound Hornets in a game that should be a must-win for a team trying to make the postseason.
Game
Information
Where: Intuit Dome, Inglewood, CA
When: 4:00 PM PT
How to Watch: FanDuel Sports SoCal, AM 570
Projected
Starting Lineups
Hornets: LaMelo Ball – Josh Green – DaQuan Jeffries – Miles Bridges – Mark Williams
Clippers: James Harden – Derrick Jones Jr. – Kawhi Leonard – Nic Batum – Ivica Zubac
Injuries
Hornets: Brandon Miller Out (Wrist), Grant Williams Out (Leg), Tre Mann Out (Back), Josh Okogie Out (Hamstring)
Clippers: Norm Powell Questionable (Hamstring), Kris Dunn Out (Knee), Jordan Miller Out (Hip), Trentyn Flowers Out (G-League), Seth Lundy Out (G-League), Patrick Baldwin Out (G-League)
The Big
Picture
The Clippers are scrambling to keep up with a Western Conference that is in seemingly constant flux. It seemed for a while as though a clear second tier had been established consisting of the Nuggets, Lakers, and Grizzlies, but that has shifted as all three of those teams (especially the Lakers) have struggled in the past two weeks while the Rockets, Timberwolves, Warriors, and Clippers have surged. The Clippers are still too far below the Rockets, Nuggets, and Grizzlies (5.5 games) to make catching them realistic, but the Lakers are now just four games ahead – albeit with LeBron probably back sooner than later. In short, the Clippers’ most likely outcome is still their current 8 seed, but there is now a slightly larger window for them to get up as high as 6th. They just need to keep winning the games in front of them.
The
Antagonist
The Charlotte Hornets have the third-worst record in the NBA (17-49) as well as the third-worst net rating (-7.2). However, they’ve probably been a bit feistier than some of the teams ahead of them in the standings (looking at the Sixers here) lately, as they have fewer veterans whose minutes/bodies they need to protect and have already solidified a spot in the bottom six of the lottery. LaMelo Ball remains an enigma, a supremely talented playmaker and scorer whose defense and decision-making are still questions. Mark Williams is similarly gifted as an explosive above-the-rim athlete at center but with glaring flaws on the defensive end. The Hornets have other interesting young players, notably Brandon Miller and Tre Mann, but they are both out for the year due to injury. On the right night when LaMelo is cooking and Miles Bridges is scoring with efficiency the Hornets can be a bit scary on offense, but they are a team that serious squads should be able to beat.
Notes
Must Win: All of the above should indicate this game is an absolute must-win for the Clippers. They are at home playing a lottery-bound squad and are close to fully healthy with a day of rest. They only have three more games left on their schedule against clear bottom-dwellers, and one of them is on the road (Nets), one is on a back-to-back split (Spurs), and the last is against the Pelicans, who have always given the Clippers trouble. In short, this is almost certainly the “easiest” game left on their schedule. The four games after this: Cavs (best record in the league), Grizzlies (top four team in the West), Thunder (second-best record in the league), and at the Knicks (third-best in the East). Regardless of how ugly it is, this is a game they simply have to secure a victory for.
Dunn Out: Kris Dunn came down a bit awkwardly in the Clippers’ game against the Pelicans but came back into that one (albeit briefly) and then played through the Heat and Hawks games. He has been ruled out with knee soreness, the same knee that he’s had issues with all season. My guess is that this is more of a rest/maintenance game for Dunn in a game the Clippers should really win, especially as it’s not a back-to-back which means Kawhi and Ben Simmons are available. Hopefully it’s nothing more serious – Dunn’s role will decrease with Norm seemingly very close to returning, but he still fills a valuable role on this team.
Clippers vs Hornets Preview: Hopefully Securing an Easy Win
Robert Flom