Hornets Aim for 3-0 Start to Seven-Game Homestand, Facing Struggling Grizzlies

The Memphis Grizzlies make their annual trip to Spectrum Center.

Matthew Smith-Imagn Images

After what felt like weeks, where the Charlotte Hornets' play-in foes didn't seem to lose any games; the tide has seemingly turned. The Magic and Heat are in the midst of a three-game skid, while Atlanta and Toronto have both lost their last game.

Meanwhile, the Hornets have won two straight at Spectrum Center against the Heat and the Magic, leading to this play-in picture:

Team	Record	Games Back
Toronto Raptors (5.)	39-30	-
Orlando Magic	38-31	1
Atlanta Hawks	38-32	1.5
Miami Heat	38-32	1.5
Philadelphia 76ers	38-32	1.5
Charlotte Hornets (10.)	36-34	3.5

The Bugs still have to make up some ground, but they have a great opportunity to do so at 7pm EST:

Today's Opponent: The Memphis Grizzlies (24-45, 12th in the West)

When you think of the Memphis Grizzlies, you might still picture Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr., Desmond Bane, Dillon Brooks, and Taylor Jenkins standing on the sidelines. Even though that team was one of the best in the league only one and a half years ago, it's long gone by now.

The best trio in recent Grizzlies history: Morant, Bane, and Jackson Jr led Memphis to a second seed in the 2022-23 season | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Ja Morant and Santi Aldama are the only key players left, and you won't see them playing either.

Memphis hasn't submitted its injury report yet, but Morant and Aldama, as well as Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Zach Edey, Scottie Pippen Jr, and Brandon Clarke, have all missed at least the last couple of games. Most of them have been out for months.

Cedric Coward, GG Jackson II, Jahmai Mashack, and Taj Gibson have been in and out of the lineup with injuries as well. All of this has led to a rotation that's constantly changing, but has managed to remain competitive and shouldn't be underestimated.

Huge boots to fill: Tuomas Iisalo replaced Taylor Jenkins as a head coach almost exactly a year ago | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Head coach Tuomas Iisalo's squad has only won one of its last ten games, a 125-118 upset against Denver, but they have five single-digit losses to tough opponents in that stretch as well.

There's not one player you could single out to be the defining key piece on this roster, since Memphis is one of three NBA teams with nobody averaging above twenty points.

If you had to pick someone, though, it would either be free agency acquisition Ty Jerome or rookie Cedric Coward, who both dictate a lot offensively.

Projected Starting Lineups

Position	Charlotte Hornets	Memphis Grizzlies
Point Guard	LaMelo Ball	Ty Jerome
Shooting Guard	Kon Knueppel	Javon Small
Small Forward	Brandon Miller	Jaylen Wells
Power Forward	Miles Bridges	Olivier-Maxence Prosper
Center	Moussa Diabaté	Taylor Hendricks

Key to the game: Make the ball stick

As mentioned previously, Memphis doesn't have any great shot creators. They're also a team that doesn't shoot the three particularly well and can turn it over in bunches. But, they also rack up the seventh most assists per game.

So the goal has to be to defend well one-on-one, especially against their guards, and minimize paint touches. That is something the Hornets have struggled with at times this season, but should be able to do against the young and inexperienced backcourt Memphis will have to use.

It's also worth mentioning that the Grizzlies are actually a solid NBA team, net rating-wise, until the fourth quarter arrives. There, the net rating plummets to a whopping -7.

That can be chalked up to their lineup inconsistencies and inexperience, but also to the fact that the organization probably doesn't have the biggest desire to win many more games at this point in the season.

In any case, even if this game is close going into the fourth, the Hornets should be able to take advantage and pull away decisively.

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