The Charlotte Hornets face off against the Toronto Raptors in Spectrum Center on Monday at 7 p.m. est. Charlotte has been plummeting as of late and currently finds itself on a four-game losing streak. Their most recent loss came in a meltdown against the Miami Heat.
While a loss against the current one-seed in the East wouldn’t normally be taken too harshly, the emotions that this game produced have Hornets fans asking questions and expecting immediate answers, and rightfully so. The biggest story from that game came when rookie James Bouknight appeared to get into a heated exchange of words with head coach James Borrego. No one knows what exactly was said between the two but Borrego addressed his understanding for Bouknight’s frustration due to lack of playing time in the post-game conference.
"“As I’ve said before he’s in a tough spot,” Borrego said. “He obviously wants to play. I get that. I understand that. Look, he’s a kid that we believe in, we trust in and we are going to find more minutes for him, more time. So I won’t get into the specifics. Just two competitors trying to help this team.”"
As someone who thought Bouknight could be an immediate contributor to this team, I get it. It’s been long overdue and Borrego should have found a way to get him minutes months ago. You can’t keep saying that you have to find him more minutes, do it. The bench is performing well but not well enough to where you have to put that to the side. Is this a big enough reason to fire him as some would suggest? Absolutely not.
At any rate, when you’re getting blown out and on the bad side of a four-game losing skid due to the same issue (defense), everyone is going to be frustrated, it’s natural. This isn’t the first time something like this has happened and it definitely won’t be the last. That’s sports.
With tonight’s matchup against the Raptors being the first game since the meltdown, Hornets fans’ eyes should be glued to the screen. How this team responds through adversity like this will be pivotal for the remainder of the season. The Raptors are currently rolling on a five-game winning streak and currently hold the 6th seed in the East, this game is not to be taken lightly. Toronto just beat the Hornets seven games ago and if Charlotte truly wants to push for the playoffs, they need to win a game like this at home.
Odds for Charlotte Hornets vs. Toronto Raptors
The Hornets enter this game as 2.5-point underdogs against the Raptors, according to WynnBET. This is a bit closer than I was expecting but the Hornets are in a massive slump, I think it would be bold to take them tonight.
Streaming Info for Charlotte Hornets vs. Toronto Raptors
TV: Bally Sports Southeast
Radio: WFNZ 610
Injury Report for Charlotte Hornets vs. Toronto Raptors
Hornets:
Jalen McDaniels (ankle) – OUT
Raptors:
Goran Dragic (personal) – OUT