Charlotte Hornets travel to Cleveland to take on the Cavaliers
The Charlotte Hornets finally got a win against the Cleveland Cavaliers just ten days ago. Can they repeat that success when they face the Cavs on the road?
One of the hallmarks of a successful team is winning games against inferior opponents. Sounds easy, I know, but there are times when a good team can play poorly on any given night, but the Charlotte Hornets (7-6) have done a pretty good job of handling weaker opponents, having only lost one game to an opponent with a worse record.
They’ll look to improve upon that Tuesday night when they head to Quicken Loans Arena to take on the Cleveland Cavaliers (1-11). The Hornets finally ended a 9 game losing streak against the Cavs earlier this season. As beleaguered as Cleveland is this year, I see no reason they can’t make it two in a row.
Charlotte’s last game was a 113-103 road victory over the Detroit Pistons. They are currently tied for 5th in the East. Cleveland is coming off a 98-99 loss to the Chicago Bulls. They are last in the Eastern Conference.
Charlotte Hornets at Cleveland Cavaliers
7:00 p.m. EST, Tuesday, November 13th, 2018
Quicken Loans Arena
Fox Sports Southeast
Injury Report:
CHA:
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist – Ankle (Out)
CLE:
Kevin Love – Toe (Out)
J.R. Smith – Illness (Game-Time Decision)
Cedi Osman – Back (Out)
Kyle Korver – Foot (Game-Time Decision)
George Hill – Shoulder (Out)
Sam Dekker – Ankle (Out)
Things to watch for:
Unfortunately, for the Cavs, they seem to have been bitten by the injury bug. This is obviously less than ideal for them, but it does mean Charlotte should have an easier time in this game. Still, the Hornets shouldn’t take any opponent lightly, regardless of injuries.
Although the Hornets shot 57% from the field in their last game against the Cavs, they only shot 33% from deep. I have a feeling that will be a point of emphasis in this game.
Keys to the game:
With a team as hapless as the Cavaliers, it’s difficult to pinpoint any one thing you need to do. They rank near the bottom of the league in nearly every major statistical category, but they do rank 7th in the NBA in offensive rebounding. Charlotte would do well by boxing out Cleveland’s bigs and making sure they limit second-chance points. Granted, all these injuries should help with that, as well.
Charlotte Hornets: Breaking Down the Team's Options. light. Also
It’s hard not to pick the Hornets for a win here, but every dog has its day. It would be best if the Hornets didn’t overlook this opponent because losing to a team like the Cavaliers would leave a really bad taste in their mouths. We’ll see if they can come out with a win Tuesday night in Cleveland.