Just days after a devastating loss, the Charlotte Hornets look to do the impossible. Can they defy the odds and defeat the defending champion Golden State Warriors?
Fans of the Charlotte Hornets (28-31) are probably still upset over how the last game ended just a few days ago against the Brooklyn Nets. A loss like that will sting for some time, but times marches on and the team must prepare for their next opponent.
They’ll need all the preparation they can get as their next game will be quite daunting and with an upcoming stretch of games all against playoff contenders, it’s only going to get tougher. Up next on their slate is the defending NBA champion, Golden State Warriors (42-17). To most, this may seem like an automatic tick in the loss column, but the Hornets did defeat them last year at home. Granted, that team was a little different, but there’s no reason they can’t repeat that outcome.
Charlotte’s last game was a 115-117 loss to the Brooklyn Nets. They are 8th in the Eastern Conference. Golden State’s last contest was a 112-118 loss to the Houston Rockets. They are first in the West. This is the first of two games in which these teams will play.
Charlotte Hornets vs Golden State Warriors
7:00 p.m. EST, Monday, February 25th, 2019
Spectrum Center
Fox Sports Southeast
Injury Report:
CHA:
None
GSW:
Draymond Green – Ankle (Game-Time Decision)
Damian Jones – Pectoral (Out)
Things to watch for:
Charlotte native Stephen Curry makes his annual return to Charlotte, so I’m sure we’ll be seeing lots of people sporting his jersey in the stands. If Draymond can’t play, that could help the Hornets… just a bit. It’s not like they don’t have three of the best shooters in the league at their disposal and DeMarcus Cousins down low. Needless to say, the Hornets will have fits regardless of injuries.
Keys to the game:
To no one’s surprise, the Warriors are in the top five in the NBA in just about every offensive category. Something interesting to note, however, is that they are only 23rd in the league in terms of free-throw attempts and personal fouls drawn.
That’s not something you’d expect from a star-studded team like Golden State. This means the Hornets should look to play physical defense and see what they can get away with. Given that the Hornets give up just the third fewest fouls in the NBA, and it would stand to reason that they could bother the Warriors’ shooters.
A win over a team like the Warriors would definitely ease the pain from the loss over the weekend. It would also be a nice boost in confidence and morale for a team that has been struggling for a bit. Can they send Golden State packing with a loss? We’ll find out Monday night in Charlotte.