It did not take long for the Charlotte Hornets to get stung hard by the injury bug. At least there is a silver lining for the team: its matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday might be a bit easier due to the Timberwolves' own injury issues.
Anthony Edwards is expected to be sidelined for at least a week because of a hamstring ailment. Without their star, the Wolves' playmaking and shot creation have usually stumbled.
The Hornets may not be missing a star of Edwards' caliber, but the impact of having possibly at least three rotation-level players sidelined may be comparable to that of the three-time All-Star's absence.
Brandon Miller is a near-certainty to be in street clothes on Saturday. The severity of his injury will not be determined until the team returns home from its road trip, the final leg of which is on Tuesday evening against the Miami Heat. However, history has shown that players who have also suffered a shoulder subluxation in the past have typically needed an average of three to four weeks to recover.
Making matters worse is the report that Tre Mann has been listed as questionable to suit up against the Heat due to a jaw contusion. It's unclear how long he needs to sit out — if he does end up being out on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, there's still no word on when Grant Williams and Josh Green will return to the floor. Chances are, the veterans will continue to spend time on the sidelines some more to ensure they are back at full strength before they make their season debut.
Hornets are facing a heavy battle early
It remains to be seen if Charlotte can capitalize on Edward's absence and keep its offense firing on all cylinders in its following contests. It's worth noting that the squad is tied with the Denver Nuggets for first place in average points per game.
The Hornets will next face Miami in an arena likely to be hostile toward them because of the circumstances surrounding embattled point guard Terry Rozier. After that, they will host the Orlando Magic, whose stingy defense of the seasons past is nowhere to be found in the first days of this campaign. Bouts versus the Utah Jazz and New Orleans Pelicans come next.
So, there is a high likelihood that Buzz City can remain above .500 a week from now. Such a reality, though, is contingent on Charlotte being able to weather the storm caused by injuries.