All Hornets

Hornets welcome top seeded Cavaliers for Friday night home matchup

Hornets are searching for any type of hope as they host the red-hot Cavaliers.
Ali Jawad|
Charlotte Hornets guard Josh Green drives on Cleveland Cavaliers forward Dean Wade during the second quarter at Spectrum Center.
Charlotte Hornets guard Josh Green drives on Cleveland Cavaliers forward Dean Wade during the second quarter at Spectrum Center. | Scott Kinser-Imagn Images

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Charlotte Hornets

The Charlotte Hornets (14-47) host the top seeded Cleveland Cavaliers (52-10) for a Friday night contest at the Spectrum Center.

Tonight's game will be the final meeting between the two teams this season, as Cleveland seeks to complete a season sweep of Charlotte.

Charlotte suffered a 125-110 defeat to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday, marking their eighth consecutive loss, which is currently the longest losing streak in the league.

The Hornets have allowed 120 or more points in five of their eight consecutive losses. Despite this, they still rank in the middle of the pack, currently at 14th, allowing 113.1 points per game.

LaMelo Ball led the Hornets on Tuesday, scoring 28 points and grabbing 10 rebounds.

Miles Bridges contributed with 23 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 assists.

Cleveland, meanwhile, is on the opposite end of the stick. A 112-107 win over the Miami Heat increased the Cavaliers' win streak to 12, the longest mark in the league.

Donovan Mitchell continues his reign as the Cavaliers' offensive juggernaut, pouring in 24.4 points per game while dishing out nearly five assists nightly.

The veteran All-Star guard has been lethal from downtown, ranking fourth league-wide with 3.6 three-pointers per contest while shooting 39.2% from beyond the arc.

Meanwhile, young phenom Evan Mobley has blossomed into a force in the paint. The 7-footer is flirting with a double-double average, posting 18.6 points and grabbing 9.3 boards per game.

Mobley's efficiency has been remarkable, he's connecting on 56.9% of his field goal attempts and has even stretched his game to the perimeter with surprising effectiveness.

Darius Garland has contributed nicely to the offense with 21 points and 6.8 assists per game. The crafty point guard's quick hands have generated 1.1 steals nightly, cementing his two-way value for a Cavs squad with championship aspirations.

Here is a look at the injury report ahead of tonight's game.

Injury Report

Charlotte:
LaMelo Ball - PROBABLE (Illness)
Josh Green - PROBABLE (Illness)
Tre Mann - OUT (Disc Irritation)
Brandon Miller - OUT (Right Wrist)
Jusuf Nurkic - PROBABLE (Low Back; Tightness)
Josh Okogie - OUT (Left Hamstring; Strain)
KJ Simpson - OUT (G League - Two Way)
Nick Smith Jr. - PROBABLE (Right Quad; Contusion)
Grant Williams - OUT (Right ACL)
Mark Williams - OUT (Left Foot; Injury Management)

Cleveland:
Emoni Bates - OUT (G League - Two Way)
Nae'Qwan Tomlin - OUT (G League - Two Way)
Luke Travers - OUT (G League - Two Way)

Quote from Guard Seth Curry on Matchup vs. Cavaliers

Seth Curry - Charlotte Hornets
Charlotte Hornets guard Seth Curry warms up before the game against the Dallas Mavericks. | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

"They're really confident, especially offensively," Curry said. "Everybody's a threat out there, they share the ball, play with good pace, even in the halfcourt. They're a tough team to handle and it's just another challenge for us."

How to Watch

Game Time: 7 p.m. ET on Friday, March 7

Location: Spectrum Center in Charlotte, NC

Television: FDSSE and FDSOH

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Ali Jawad
ALI JAWAD

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