Buzz City Beat: Charlotte Hornets @ Atlanta Hawks prediction, Las Vegas Summer League
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After Adam Silver picked Andre Drummond as the injury replacement for John Wall in the All-Star Game, the NBA commissioner will need to select another one as Kevin Love went down with an injury. This means that Kemba Walker could still sneak into the ASG this year. In this edition of Buzz City Beat, we preview the Charlotte Hornets game against the Atlanta Hawks while also looking ahead to the Las Vegas Summer League and an update on Marvin Williams’ ankle injury.
Hornets @ Hawks prediction (RealSport101.com)
"Look for the Hawks to continue their 3-point barrage and finally break through against the Hornets this season with a 103-99 victory."
Although Charlotte’s lost three of their last four games, there is some hope for them in this one as they’ve won both of their two meeting against Atlanta so far this season. This will be their first matchup in the ATL where the Hornets were 1-1 in 2016-17. Steve Clifford’s side will be looking to end their three-game road trip with a victory before heading back home.
Even with Charlotte’s road struggles, they should be able to get the win over the lowly Hawks who have the second-worst record in the NBA ahead of only the Orlando Magic. Still, like every game this season, this one won’t be easy for the Hornets. Expect a big game from Dwight Howard who is returning to his home town for the first time since being traded by the Hawks this past summer.
Charlotte to compete in Las Vegas Summer League (NBA.com)
"The Hornets will compete in MGM Resorts NBA Summer League 2018 as the NBA announced today that for the first time all 30 teams will be represented at the annual showcase for up-and-coming talent in Las Vegas. The 14th NBA Summer League will take place July 6-17 at the Thomas & Mack Center and Cox Pavilion."
For the first time since 2014, the Hornets will participate in the Las Vegas Summer League. They’ve been going to the Orlando Pro Summer League for the past three years. With the Magic not hosting the annual summer event this offseason, all 30 NBA teams will now travel to Las Vegas to play in a 12-day tournament.
This is good news for fans that want to see their team play in the summer because unlike the Orlando Summer League which is only open to the media, the Las Vegas Summer League is open to the public. Expect Malik Monk, Dwayne Bacon, the Hornets’ 2018 Draft pick(s) and other young players to suit up for Charlotte.
Marvin Williams’ ankle injury isn’t serious (CharlotteObserver.com)
"The swelling in his left ankle wasn’t bad, so he’s hopeful he won’t miss many games before being cleared to play again. An X-ray showed no evidence of a fracture, and Williams was fitted for a protective boot."
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This is good news for a Hornets’ team that has been decimated with long-term injuries throughout the season (Nic Batum, Cody Zeller). Marvin hasn’t been one of the most consistent contributors outside of Kemba Walker and Dwight Howard this year. And on a side note, the severity of the injury not being serious won’t impact his trade value at the deadline. Williams should be back on the court sooner rather than later and may end up only missing one game.