Hornets Host Magic as Young Stars Collide

Getting you ready for today’s Hornets game.

Mar 31, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Charlotte Hornets forward Brandon Miller (24). / Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports

Injury Report

Hornets: OUT Mark Williams (back), LaMelo Ball (ankle), Seth Curry (ankle), Cody Martin (ankle); DOUBTFUL: Amari Bailey (illness); QUESTIONABLE Nick Richards (foot)

Clippers: QUESTIONABLE Caleb Houston (ankle)

Game Preview

The Hornets (18-58) look to snap their losing skid on Friday as they host the Orlando Magic (45-31). Charlotte has dropped four games in a row coming into the matchup, while Orlando enters on a three game winning streak.

With the announcement that head coach Steve Clifford will be stepping down as coach at the end of the season, a roster decimated by injury, and the playoffs a non-factor, Charlotte is in a very different place that Orlando. Brandon Miller’s development is obviously still a top priority, but otherwise the Hornets are likely using these last few games of the season to evaluate the healthy portions of the roster with retooling certainly on the horizon.

The Magic are in a completely different place. The young and exciting team, with an even more exciting theme song, have shocked the NBA as they find themselves just two games out of the second seed in the Eastern Conference. With six games left to play including tonight, Orlando has already won 11 more games than last season when they finished with the 13th-best record in the East.

Key Matchup: Brandon Miller vs Franz Wagner

Brandon Miller finds himself matched up against another young building block, this time Franz Wagner of the Orlando Magic. While Paolo Banchero is the leading scorer and face of the Magic’s success, Wagner has been a necessary piece to that success as well.

Both players are lengthy scorers with facilitator chops who are second on their team in scoring. Miller will likely see this matchup a lot over the coming years, so keying more in to how they take each other on should be fascinating.