Can the Hornets snap their current nine-game losing skid against Brooklyn?

INJURY REPORT:

Hornets: OUT - LaMelo Ball (Ankle Injury Management), Josh Okogie (L Hamstring), Brandon Miller (R Wrist), Grant Williams (R ACL), Tre Mann (Disc Herniation)

Nets: OUT - Cam Johnson (Knee), De'Anthony Melton (Knee)

Game Preview:

Mar 7, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Charlotte Hornets forward Tidjane Salaun (31) celebrates a three point basket against the Cleveland Cavaliers during the third quarter at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Kinser-Imagn Images | Scott Kinser-Imagn Images

The Hornets have found themselves in a situation where they are seven wins below the Brooklyn Nets currently with just 20 games remaining. Not too many people would've expected that at this point of the season.

Both teams have had a rough season and that's continued as of late, as the Hornets are on a current nine-game losing slide, while the Nets are on a six-game losing streak.

For the Hornets, their star player LaMelo Ball will most likely be unavailable for the game, as the team has sat him out for the majority of the back-to-backs recently. Ball has been struggling to find his rhythm of late, shooting just 37% from the field in four games this month.

One player that hasn't struggled to find a rhythm is Miles Bridges, who scored a career-high 46 points in the Hornets loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday night. He's been on an insane tear since the All-Star break, averaging over 24 points per game.

Mark Williams, who was unavailable last game, should be available for this matchup. The Hornets have been resting him on the first night of back-to-backs, while he plays on the second night.

For Brooklyn, they've been somewhat impressive with the team that they have. Most of their players have played in the G-League and they've been competitive each and every night. One of their superb players, Cam Thomas, recently returned to the lineup.

The Nets are filled with a multitude of players who can quickly light it up, which should be a priority for Coach Lee's defense, as he tries to slow down their best shooters.

Key Matchup: The Bench

The Hornets bench activity has been pretty lackluster for some time now and it's not going to get much easier from now on. Brooklyn's bench is filled with quality players, which could make it difficult for the Hornets depth pieces to defend.

If the Hornets want to win this game, they'll have to make it a priority to get the bench going early. As well, with Cam Johnson out of the lineup with an injury, it should give the Hornets an advantage.

Projected Starting Lineups

Position	Charlotte Hornets	Brooklyn Nets
Point Guard	KJ Simson Jr	D / Angelo Russell
Shooting Guard	Josh Green	Cam Thomas
Small Forward	Daquan Jeffries	Keon Johnson
Power Forward	Miles Bridges	Ziare Williams
Center	Mark Williams	Nic Claxton

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