Hornets Out Looking for Revenge Against Phoenix Suns, Earn Season Split

The Charlotte Hornets didn't play yesterday, yet they came out as winners. Because both the Miami Heat and the Orlando Magic lost their respective games, the Hornets climbed to 8th in the Eastern Conference Standings.

The Play-In Picture

	Record	Games Back
5. Atlanta Hawks	44-33	0
6. Philadelphia 76ers	42-34	1.5
7. Toronto Raptors	42-34	1.5
8. Charlotte Hornets	40-36	3.5
9. Orlando Magic	40-36	3.5
10. Miami Heat	40-37	4

Tonight, they're the only Eastern Conference play-in team in action, so there's a chance to exert pressure on the competition with a win. It will be anything but easy, though:

Tonight's opponent: The Phoenix Suns (42-34 | 7th in the West)

Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) reacts during the third quarter against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum. — Apart from his rough three-point percentage (32.7%), Devin Booker is having a great season as the Suns' lead guard. | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

After subverting expectations in the Kevin Durant era, the Phoenix Suns have flipped the script this year and are now very much overachieving in regard to their projected results.

Subtracting Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal while adding Dillon Brooks, Jalen Green, and Mark Williams to the team has paid off big time, as well as the coaching change from Mike Budenholzer to Jordan Ott over the summer.

Last year, the Suns ranked 25th in three-point attempts per game. But under Ott, they have adapted a much more Pick-and-Roll heavy game plan, similar to that of the Hornets in some ways. Coincidentally, they are now 5th in threes per game and regularly shoot opponents out of the building.

The Hornets had to learn that the hard way on March 8th. A Suns team that was missing Brooks, Williams, and Grayson Allen unexpectedly blew Charlotte out 111-99.

That defeat came in large part due to the hot hands of Collin Gillespie and rookie Rasheer Fleming, as well as a 30-point, 10-assist double-double by Devin Booker.

Phoenix will be healthier tonight then it was back then, although the first return of Mark Williams to Spectrum Center is still up in the air:

The Injury Report:

Charlotte Hornets: OUT - Liam McNeeley & Tidjane Salaün (G-League)

Phoenix Suns: OUT - Amir Coffey (L Ankle), Haywood Highsmith (R Knee) QUESTIONABLE - Mark Williams (L Foot)

Key to the Game: Control Booker and Gillespie

Devin Booker and Collin Gillespie conduct the Suns' offense like a director conducts an orchestra. Sure, there are a couple of players (Brooks, Green, Allen) who are also dangerous and can go off here and there, but usually it's all about Booker and Gillespie setting them up.

As written previously, the Suns like to run a lot of Pick-and-Roll, mostly to get the ball handler going. You can live with Jalen Green being in that spot because he's a notoriously inefficient scorer and also not much of a playmaker.

Booker, while not a great shooter from distance, is a way better passer, overall more efficient than Green, and also one of the best when it comes to drawing fouls.

Gillespie, on the other hand, poses almost no danger inside the arc, but shoots a great three-ball from anywhere while being a decent enough assist giver.

The Hornets had major problems guarding the Celtics' Pick-and-Roll actions with Tatum and Pritchard on Sunday. They must find someone who can hold their own defensively in those situations to beat Phoenix.

Projected Starting Lineups

	Charlotte Hornets	Phoenix Suns
Point Guard	LaMelo Ball	Collin Gillespie
Shooting Guard	Kon Knueppel	Devin Booker
Small Forward	Brandon Miller	Jalen Green
Power Forward	Miles Bridges	Dillon Brooks
Center	Moussa Diabaté	Oso Ighodaro

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