The Hornets attempt to dethrone LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers

INJURY REPORT:

Hornets: OUT - Tre Mann (Disc Irritation), Brandon Miller (Right Wrist), Cody Martin (Core), Grant Williams (R ACL)

Lakers: PROBABLE - Lebron James (L Foot), Anthony Davis (Left Plantar Fasciitis), QUESTIONABLE - Gabe Vincent (L Knee), Rui Hachimura (L Calf), OUT - Jalen Hood-Schifino (L Hamstring), Christian Wood (L Knee)

Game Preview:

The Hornets and Lakers have both been on a positive trajectory recently as both teams have a positive record in their last eight games. The Lakers have been on a slightly better uptick as they've won three in a row, while also winning five out of their last six games.

For the Hornets, their key has been LaMelo Ball, as he gives the team the best chance to win each and every night. The Hornets are just 11-19 with Ball playing this season, but they're 1-11 without him this year, which is a substantial difference.

Ball has been playing out of his mind this season, as he's averaging just under 29 points per game. His three-point shot has been off in his last 10 games at just 29.7% from three, but he's arguably played some of the best winning basketball of his career on both sides of the ball.

The last game for the Hornets was one of the best historically, as nine different players knocked down a three-pointer, which tied a franchise record. As well, the Hornets won by 31 points, which was the team's largest win since February 2022.

The Hornets' new acquisition of Josh Okogie has made a huge impact on the defensive side of the ball, totaling three steals in each of his last three games.

For the Lakers, they are having a stellar season as JJ Reddick and his staff have the Lakers in the fifth seed in the Western Conference, which certainly is an accomplishment. Something worthy to note has been how the Lakers' two superstars, Anthony Davis and LeBron James, have played in 40 of the Lakers' 43 games.

Austin Reaves has had an underrated season for the Lakers, averaging over 18 points per game, which is a huge jump from his 15-point average last season. Their rookie, Dalton Knecht, has also had a positive impact on the team, averaging close to double-digit scoring each night.

Since the Lakers traded D'Angelo Russell and received Dorian Finney Smith, the Lakers have looked much better on both sides of the ball. Finney-Smith is a much better fit in Los Angeles than Russell, mostly due to the overall impact Finney-Smith has on the defensive end.

Key Matchup: Who's stopping LeBron and Anthony Davis?

The Hornets have a tough test in this matchup, facing two legends - LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Both are very hard players to guard due to their overall strength and size. Mark Williams has struggled on opposing centers lately, as Gafford and Vucevic both scored over 30 points on him.

Charles Lee will certainly need to find a way to scheme a gameplan to stop Davis from getting to his spots. Not only just with Davis, but also with LeBron, who easily gets to his spots each and every night.

If the Hornets want to have a chance in this matchup, it's going to take a total team effort on the defensive end to get the ball out of the Lakers' star players hands. If the Hornets are able to do that, then they'll have a decent chance to secure the win.

Projected Starting Lineups:

Position	Charlotte Hornets	Los Angeles Lakers
Point Guard	LaMelo Ball	Austin Reaves
Shooting Guard	Nick Smith Jr	Max Christie
Small Forward	Josh Green	Dorian Finney-Smith
Power Forward	Miles Bridges	LeBron James
Center	Mark Williams	Anthony Davis

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