Score Predictions: Can Hornets Slow Down Streaking Cavaliers?

It was a tough ending for the Charlotte Hornets (26-30) against the Houston Rockets in the first half of a home back-to-back. The offense slipped in the fourth quarter, and neither LaMelo Ball nor Kon Knueppel played to the standard they both hold themselves to.

Grant Williams played his best game of the season for the Hornets in the losing effort against Houston, but Charlotte will need their star performers to be up to the challenge tonight. Cleveland is 13-2 in their last 15 games.

Charlotte likely wishes it were done with Harden after finishing their two-game series versus the Los Angeles Clippers. He scored a Clippers franchise-high 55 points for LA in his last visit to Charlotte. This was Harden's 25th career game with 50+ points.

This will be the third game served of a four-game suspension for Moussa Diabate and Miles Bridges, and without them, Charlotte is on the brink of losing two in a row for the first time since January seventh and eighth. How does our Hornets on SI Staff see tonight's Uptown showdown playing out?

Here's how our Hornets on SI Staff see tonight's Uptown showdown playing out:

Owen Watterson: Cavaliers 118, Hornets 96

Charlotte can’t close its eyes after a tough loss to Houston last night. Cleveland is playing the best basketball it’s played all season right now, and newly acquired James Harden has another opportunity to wreck the Hornets.

This is an outright bad matchup for Charlotte. Not only has Harden torched them twice with the Clippers this year already, but Cavs C Jarrett Allen is playing some of the best basketball of his career right now. Without Moussa Diabaté, Ryan Kalkbrenner and PJ Hall are bound to struggle against the veteran. I fully expect this loss to bring all of the Hornets’ world back to earth on how important Miles Bridges and Diabate are to winning against good teams. Hornets start slow and can't keep up on the glass in a blowout loss tonight.

Zach Roberts: Cavaliers 111, Hornets 106

If Coby White plays, there's a good chance the Hornets can pull off the upset. As it stands, I don't see the second night of a back-to-back going well with all the missing players. The Hornets did not shoot well whatsoever last night, and the Cavaliers also possess a top-10 defense. The Cavs don't have KD to will them to victory with unreal clutch shot-making, but they do have James Harden. He averages 25.3 points and 8.2 assists against the Hornets.

Schuyler Callihan: Cavaliers 114, Hornets 105

The Hornets have a huge disadvantage in the frontcourt with Miles Bridges and Moussa Diabaté still suspended. Grant Williams and the rookie Ryan Kalkbrenner will be tasked with matching up against Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, who combined for 27 points and 23 rebounds in their last matchup with Charlotte WITH Bridges and Diabaté in the lineup. Charlotte hangs around, much like they did last night, but runs out of gas at about the five-minute mark in the fourth.