Cleveland Cavaliers Searching for Answers Against the Charlotte Hornets

The Cleveland Cavaliers are searching for answers as they face off against the Charlotte Hornets on the road tonight (Wednesday).

Both franchises arrive at the matchup coming off very different recent results, setting the stage for an intriguing contrast in momentum.

The Cavaliers are coming off a lopsided 136-104 home loss to the NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday, a game that exposed flaws on both ends of the floor. Despite having won two games against the Philadelphia 76ers before the loss, the Cavaliers struggled to find rhythm or cohesion against Oklahoma City.

"I didn't like our play, quite honestly, at either end," Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson said.

“We have to understand; I think it was our reads in the game. We didn't read the game right. The decision making was trouble."

The teams have already met twice this season, splitting a pair of December games in Cleveland. Charlotte earned a 119-111 overtime win in the first matchup, while the Cavs responded a week later with a 139-132 victory behind a 30-point showpiece from Donovan Mitchell.

Mitchell leads the Cavs in scoring in seven of their last 10 games. However, he endured an uncharacteristically rough outing against OKC, finishing with 19 points on 5-for-18 shooting and connecting on just one of nine attempts from beyond the arc.

The performance snapped a streak of 14 consecutive games in which he had made at least two three-pointers. Still, Mitchell is averaging 29 points per game this season, good for seventh in the NBA.

Cleveland’s challenges and cause for an inconsistent season have been compounded by injuries. Guard Darius Garland has been sidelined with a toe sprain since last Wednesday, forcing others to adjust. Guard Sam Merrill has also been unavailable due to a hand injury.

The Hornets’ recent form after a five-game road trip

The Charlotte Hornets return home with renewed confidence after a productive 3-2 road trip that could prove to be a turning point for a franchise that has struggled to find sustained success in recent seasons.

The Hornets capped their road adventures with a 110-87 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Sunday that was promising and leads them to confidence ahead of their clash with the Cavs. Along the way, Charlotte also picked up an impressive win over the Los Angeles Lakers.

The results of the road trip, particularly the dominant win over Denver, suggest that Charlotte is beginning to buy into a competitive approach. For a franchise that has not surpassed 27 wins in a season since 2021-22 and has not appeared in the postseason since 2016, these victories carry added significance.

LaMelo Ball leads the team in scoring at 19.9 points per game and posted 23 points in the most recent meeting with Cleveland. Rookie Brandon Miller is also a key contributor, averaging 22.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 4.0 assists in the Hornets’ last four games and leading the way in scoring in their last two games.