Previewing Hornets Lineup Ahead of Mavericks' MLK Day Matchup

After an impressive victory against the OKC Thunder (though each team was down its undisputed superstar), the Mavericks pick back up against the Charlotte Hornets at 11 AM CST on January 20. Charlotte, who ranks 13th in the Eastern Conference with a 10-28 record, is a team that has some talent but has yet to put it together for any kind of success in the long term.

Out of the game is Brandon Miller, one of the Hornets' stars, a second-year small forward out of Alabama who has averaged 21.0 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game this season. On a team that is already inconsistent, this is a major loss, considering his versatility as a perimeter scorer gives them depth in an area where they do not have a lot of scoring options.

At point guard for the Hornets is budding superstar LaMelo Ball, one of the league's leading bucket-getters at 29.1 points per game on top of 5.3 rebounds and 7.5 assists. He also averages 1.4 steals per game, meaning he is active with his hands on the perimeter defensively. Ball is one of the best at his position in the league at this moment, but doesn't quite have the shine others might because of the team around him as well as the smaller market in which he plays. He will be the primary focus for the Dallas defense.

Nick Smith Jr. and Josh Green will hold down the two other perimeter spots for the Hornets. Smith Jr., an Arkansas Razorbacks product, has averaged 11.6 minutes per game this season and will start out of necessity due to injuries not just to Miller but to Tre Mann as well. Green is a former Maverick acquired by Charlotte in the complicated Klay Thompson sign-and-trade in the offseason and has started 35 of the 36 games in which he's played, averaging 7.0 points per game.

The front court will be Miles Bridges and Mark Williams, both of whom have missed games due to injury but also have contributed. Bridges is third on the team with 18.4 points per game and is also putting up 7.6 rebounds and 3.6 assists. Williams is a standard play-finishing big and rebounder, who leads the team in boards per game with 9.3 and also adds 14.5 points. While these two have been a solid duo this year, Dallas' combination of Daniel Gafford, PJ Washington, and Naji Marshall will likely prove too much for them.

Off the bench will be Cody Martin, Vasilije Micic, DaQuan Jeffries, Tidjane Salaun, and Moussa Diabate. Charlotte runs a pretty wide lineup as far as players who get double-digit minutes, so expect to see a lot of these guys in the game, especially due to injuries on the Hornets' side. While the Charlotte has a legitimate scoring and playmaking weapon in Ball, it's not likely they have enough firepower to take down the Mavericks, who are riding high after a victory over the Thunder on Friday night.

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