The Hornets look to upset the NBA's top team, the Cleveland Cavaliers

Can the Hornets end their miserable losing streak?

Austin Leake | Jan 5, 2025

Sam Sharpe-Imagn Images

In this story:

Charlotte Hornets

INJURY REPORT:

Hornets: PROBABLE - Josh Green (L Shoulder), QUESTIONABLE - LaMelo Ball (L Ankle/R Wrist), Daquan Jeffries (R Adductor), Brandon Miller (L Ankle), OUT - Grant Williams (R ACL), Tre Mann (Disc Irritation)

Cavaliers: QUESTIONABLE - Sam Merrill (R Ankle), OUT - Isaac Okoro (R Shoulder)

Game Preview:

The Charlotte Hornets and the Cleveland Cavaliers have been complete polar opposites this season when it comes to wins and losses. The Hornets' season has been a nightmare as they sit in the 14th spot in the Eastern Conference with a record of 7-26, while the Cavaliers sit atop the Eastern Conference with a 30-4 record.

The Cavaliers have easily been the biggest shock of the NBA this season with their new head coach, Kenny Atkinson. The team is currently on the path to having 72 wins, which is a mark that very few teams have reached in NBA history.

The Hornets are breaking records in all of the wrong ways, as they've lost their last 17 out of 18 games. Yikes! A team that was once 6-9 is now 7-26. Sure, the Hornets have had their injuries that have played a massive role, but one win in a month and a half is just abysmal and it won't get any easier in this matchup.

The Hornets' two-star players, LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller, have missed the past couple of games, which has made it difficult for them to generate open looks on the offensive end. It's not like the team hasn't fought hard, but when you're missing over 50 points on offense, it makes it much more difficult to compete against high-level teams.

Both players are listed as "questionable" for this contest, which is what they've been listed as for the past couple of games. With the added days of rest that the team has had recently, there might be a solid chance that at least one of Ball or Miller will make their return to the lineup on Sunday versus Cleveland.

The Hornets lost both matchups to Cleveland earlier in the season, which resulted in double-digit losses. Evan Mobley has had a huge impact in the matchups versus the Hornets. Mobley also surpassed a career-high 41 points in the recent game between these two teams. He should have all of the Hornets' attention on Sunday.

Key Matchup: The Interior

The Cavaliers have a loaded team with weapons that can positively impact the game on all sides of the ball, but where they typically make most of their damage is on the interior. Mobley and Allen are really hard centers to stop in the paint with their physicality and size. Garland and Mitchell are also really underrated finishers at the rim.

With all that being said, the Hornets have to find a way to prevent the Cavaliers from getting uncontested looks at the rim while also winning the battle on the boards. Obviously, that is easier said than done against such a powerhouse of a basketball team, but if the Hornets can hold their own on the glass and on the interior, then who knows?

Projected Starting Lineups

Position	Charlotte Hornets	Cleveland Cavaliers
Point Guard	Vasilije Micic	Darius Garland
Shooting Guard	Seth Curry	Donovan Mitchell
Small Forward	Josh Green	Dean Wade
Power Forward	Miles Bridges	Evan Mobley
Center	Mark Williams	Jarrett Allen