Charlotte Hornets take on Houston to begin new era under Charles Lee

Previewing tonight's season opener against the Houston Rockets.

Nov 1, 2023; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green (4) passes the ball as Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (1) defends during the game at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images / Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Injury Report

Hornets:
OUT: DaQuan Jefferies (R Hand Fracture), Mark Williams (L Foot) QUESTIONABLE: Josh Green (L Achilles Soreness)

Rockets:
QUESTIONABLE: Steven Adams (L Calf Strain)

Game Preview

The Charlotte Hornets kick off their 2024-25 season on the road against the Houston Rockets. Houston went 3-1 in the preseason while Charlotte finished 2-3. This will be the regular season debut for new Hornets head coach Charles Lee, who will be without starting center Mark Williams.

The Hornets lost both games to the Rockets last season but hope to turn things around with their star backcourt of LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller. Fans will get a good look at what this duo can do, as they only played 19 games together last season due to Ball's injuries.

Since then, Miller has developed into a much more complete player, making this their first real chance to show what they can achieve together. In the preseason, they combined for an average of 32.2 points, 7.7 assists, and 7.1 rebounds in limited minutes.

Key Match-up: Nick Richards vs Alperen Şengün

Alperen Şengün is emerging as the powerhouse for the Rockets, averaging 21.1 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 1.2 steals last season. His scoring and rebounding make him a tough challenge for Charlotte. With Mark Williams out, Richards will need to step up big to contain Şengün and keep a non-factor. If Richards can hold his own defensively, it will give the Hornets a much better chance to compete against a strong young Houston team.

Predicted Starting Fives

Position	Charlotte Hornets	Houston Rockets
PG	LaMelo Ball	Fred VanVleet
SG	Brandon Miller	Jalen Green
SF	Cody Martin	Dillon Brooks
PF	Miles Bridges	Jabari Smith Jr.
C	Nick Richards	Alperen Şengün

Charlotte's next game is at Atlanta against the Hawks on October 25th at 7:30pm EST

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