Can the Charlotte Hornets exact revenge against the Toronto Raptors?

When the Charlotte Hornets visited the Six to take on the Raptors just a few weeks ago, the game devolved into a street fight on the hardwood.

Neither team was able to play efficient offense (Charlotte’s 105.9 offensive rating in the game was their fifth-worst single-game mark of the season), and it took some miraculous individual plays by Toronto to sneak away with a win (albeit with a little help from the officials).

Since then, the two franchises have gone in opposite directions.

Behind a resurgent Brandon Ingram and one of the deepest rosters in basketball, the Raptors have amassed a nine-game winning streak and have jumped up to second-place in the Eastern Conference.

Charlotte, on the other hand, snapped a seven-game losing streak last night, and they enter tonight’s contest looking for their first winning streak of the young season.

After a disheartening blowout loss to the New York Knicks on Wednesday, the Hornets peeled themselves off the mat and punched back in Friday night’s decisive win over the Bulls.

The egalitarian offensive approach that garnered headlines in the preseason returned as the starting five combined for 20 assists in the game. Each of LaMelo Ball, Miles Bridges, Brandon Miller, and Kon Knueppel played unselfish basketball that allowed the starting five to thrive.

To pull a second-straight upset, the Hornets need to be on their P’s and Q’s in transition. Charles Lee has continuously lamented the team’s struggles defending fast breaks in their recent stretch of games, and Toronto poses a unique challenge in that regard.

The Raptors lead the league in transition frequency both off steals and off live rebounds, pushing the pace at breakneck speed every chance they can. On the second night of a back-to-back, Charlotte will have some weary legs, and they’ll be tested by Immanuel Quickley from the opening tip.

Key matchup: Brandon Miller vs. Brandon Ingram

Miller played the best single game of his junior season against the Bulls last night. He actively hunted smaller defenders, finishing around the rim and in the midrange with impressive feats of strength and craft.

The ‘everybody eats’ approach that the starting five took allowed Miller some free looks behind the three-point arc, and even if he was contested, he knocked his long-range attempts down with relative ease.

The Hornets need more of that tonight, because Ingram is going to get his.

BI has reminded folks of his All-Star past early in 2025 by shouldering a large offensive load for the Raptors and scoring efficiently. He leads the team in both scoring (21.8 points per game) and usage rate (26.9%), and continues to hoop at a high level night in and night out.

Injury report

Charlotte Hornets: OUT Pat Connaughton (Calf), Josh Green (Shoulder), Grant Williams (Knee) PROBABLE Tre Mann (Ankle)

Toronto Raptors: OUT RJ Barrett (Knee)

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