Upset-minded Charlotte Hornets head west to take on Harden, Leonard, and the Los Angeles Clippers

Charlotte heads to Los Angeles looking for their fourth win in five games.

Mady Mertens-Imagn Images

The Charlotte Hornets are heading to Los Angeles with an excess of confidence. The team is riding high after what was arguably the most impressive 48 minutes in team history when they set a franchise record for threes made (26) in a game and tied the franchise record for assists in a contest (42) in a dominant win over the San Antonio Spurs. 

Their recent run of form, which has seen them win three of their last four contests, has been spurned by the brilliant play of Miles Bridges. The veteran forward is the NBA’s second-leading scorer (after being passed by Oklahoma City's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander last night) in March, but his overall floor game has been a bright spot in a mostly dismal season. 

Bridges has been an efficient scorer, a lights-out shooter, a consistent facilitator, a relentless rebounder, and a disruptive defender in March, finally living up to the large price tag the Hornets placed on him last summer. 

On the other bench tonight will be the Los Angeles Clippers led by James Harden. The Clippers overran the Spectrum Center back in January when they defeated the Hornets in a closer-than-the-score-looks 112-104 contest. 

Injury report:

Charlotte Hornets: OUT Tre Mann (Disc), Brandon Miller (R Wrist), Josh Okogie (L Hamstring), Grant Williams (R ACL)

Los Angeles Clippers: QUESTIONABLE: Norman Powell (Hamstring), OUT: Kris Dunn (Knee), Jordan Miller (Hip), Seth Lundy (Ankle)

Key matchup: Ivica Zubac vs. Mark Williams

Zubac is the exact type of center that Williams has struggled with on defense this season. The Clippers' interior hub is one of the game's most physical and devastating post-up threats, meaning Williams will have his hands full when Los Angeles possesses the rock.

On the other end, Williams will need to leverage his athleticism and LaMelo Ball's limitless range to his advantage. Charlotte will use their big man as a screener all night to put Zubac in conflict on the defensive end, and in an ideal world, both Williams and Ball will be able to take advantage.

Projected starting lineups

Charlotte Hornets	Los Angeles Clippers
LaMelo Ball	James Harden
Josh Green	Norman Powell
Daquan Jeffries	Nic Batum
Miles Bridges	Kawhi Leonard
Mark Williams	Ivica Zubac

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