Starting Lineups for Hornets' Afternoon Contest Against Clippers

The Charlotte Hornets are set for some afternoon hoops in Los Angeles, where they will look to snap a 16-game losing streak against the Clippers dating back to their last win on Nov. 18, 2017.

Charlotte has also not beaten the Clips on the road since 2009, so what better opportunity to exorcise those demons than against this current rebuilding iteration of Los Angeles, which sports a 3-8 record on the young season? Here are the starting lineups for this one.

Charlotte Hornets' starting five

G Coby White - Charlotte's lead guard had his best performance yet since returning from his calf strain, looking like his old self offensively against Phoenix with 21 points, three assists, and three rebounds in just 21 minutes. The Hornets' offense functions better and plays with more pace when White is on the floor. Charlotte needs its offense to hold the line when White sits, and getting Brandon Miller back should help with that, as the two can be staggered throughout the game.

G Sion James - A somewhat surprising start, in my opinion, for the second-year defensive stalwart, considering how well Grayson Allen has played. However, head coach Charles Lee and his staff clearly value James' skill set, much to the chagrin of some of the Charlotte fanbase.

F Brandon Miller - The Bugs getting back their best player will obviously be huge, and Miller's life should be easier offensively with a more in-rhythm White playing alongside him. One of Miller's greatest strengths is his movement shooting, and having someone who can set the table for him gives him a better chance to excel in that area of his game. Miller's efficiency has been an issue in most of his games this season, but look for that to tick up with White helping create quality looks for the 23-year-old.

F Naz Reid - Reid has run hot and cold as one of Charlotte's primary offensive options this season. Last time out in Phoenix, I wasn't a fan of the majority of his shot selection, and he also committed four turnovers. Reid is one of the best players on the team and the biggest addition the organization made this offseason, so he needs to play more sound two-way ball and have a more consistently positive impact from night to night.

C Moussa Diabaté - Diabaté continues to have an excellent offensive rebounding season, grabbing eight offensive boards against Phoenix. He can wreak havoc on games at times with his relentless motor and activity, which Charlotte will need against Los Angeles.

Los Angeles Clippers' starting five

Nov 13, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Clippers guard Darius Garland (10) reacts after a basket during the fourth quarter against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

G Darius Garland - The absolute head of the snake for Los Angeles, Garland is averaging nearly 21 points and seven assists per game on solid efficiency and high usage. What has plagued him so far is his turnover rate, as he's averaging nearly five giveaways per night. Garland is the player who will largely drive the Clippers' success this season, particularly on the offensive side of the court, making him the guy Charlotte needs to hone in on to win this game.

G Kris Dunn - A former No. 5 overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, Dunn has carved out a productive career as a three-and-D combo guard with quality connective passing ability. He's been a rock-solid piece of the Clippers' rotation, now in his third season with Los Angeles. Dunn is a big part of what the Clippers want to do on both ends of the floor.

F Derrick Jones Jr. - While the Clippers currently have a bottom-eight defense in the league, it certainly isn't because of Jones, their premier defensive player. The uber-athletic 29-year-old wing has posted a plus-2.2 defensive EPM per 100 possessions through the small sample size of this young season while shooting 48.8% from three-point range. Jones could be an X-factor in this matchup.

F Rui Hachimura - It's been a struggle shooting the basketball for the eight-year NBA veteran, who is sporting a field goal percentage below 35% and ranks in the 10th percentile among all forwards in points per shot attempt. Hachimura needs to be a positive contributor offensively because he's never been a plus defensive player.

C Brook Lopez - The 38-year-old veteran has turned back the clock a tad, playing well while shooting 83% at the rim and 42% from three-point range. Lopez has been an additive player for Los Angeles, featuring in all of the Clippers' best-performing lineups statistically this season. Charlotte will need to account for his shooting gravity and be sharp with getting quality closeouts on him.

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