The Charlotte Hornets get a break on Halloween, and they need to make it count.
Philadelphia has ruled out LeBron James and Joel Embiid for injury management, a decision that makes sense with the Sixers on the second night of a back-to-back and still early in the season. Charlotte is dealing with its own injury issues, and now the matchup tilts a little more toward the Hornets if they can take advantage.
There is also a chance Jaylen Brown does not play. He is listed as questionable with a knee issue.
For Charlotte, the clearest path is inside. The Hornets were coming off one of the worst shooting nights in franchise history, hitting just 30% from the field, and that kind of night can’t be repeated if they want to get back in the win column. Charles Lee’s offense is built around volume from deep, but after a game like that, the Hornets need more pressure at the rim and a better balance in the shot selection.
Naz Reid is another key piece in this one. He has been in a rough stretch, getting benched for the second half against the Pistons and then following that up with a 12-point, 11-rebound double-double last night while shooting 29% from the field on 17 attempts.
He also wasn’t sharp defensively. With Philadelphia short-handed, this is the kind of game where Charlotte needs Reid to settle in offensively.
Getting him more touches and attacking the paint should be part of the plan.
The Sixers also no longer have Andre Drummond to fill Embiid’s role, which opens the door for Moussa Diabaté in a favorable matchup against Adem Bona. Bona has averaged roughly five points and four rebounds per game through his first two years and change in the league.
If Charlotte can control the paint, win the glass and avoid another 30% shooting night, the Hornets should have a strong shot at ending their two-game skid and climbing back above .500.
Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. ET. The game will air on WSOC 9 and can be heard on Sports Radio WFNZ, with Sam Farber on the call.
In Other News...
Hornets Catch A Big Opening As Sixers Stars Suddenly Waver
The early-season injury report has already put Philadelphia in a tricky spot, and that creates a little extra intrigue for Charlotte as the Hornets look ahead to a matchup that suddenly feels more manageable than it did a few days ago. The 76ers are already taking a cautious approach with their stars, limiting minutes and leaning into rest this early in the calendar as they try to protect the long haul.
For Charlotte, the opening matters because it changes the shape of the game before it even tips off. Philadelphia may have to lean more heavily on Tyrese Maxey if another key piece is sidelined, and the Hornets will be watching the status page closely to see just how thin the Sixers are willing to go. The gap between a full-strength opponent and one missing multiple high-end options can be the difference between chasing the game and having a real chance to control it. [Read more 🡒]
Hornets Face One Telling Young Core Decision Before Monday
The rookie-scale option deadline is arriving with a familiar kind of pressure for front offices, and Charlotte is among the teams still sorting through its young-core decisions before Monday. Across the league, clubs have already moved on 35 of these 2027-28 team options, but several remain unresolved, including a cluster of choices that will help shape how teams manage both development and future flexibility.
For the Hornets, the remaining calls are especially relevant because they sit at the intersection of roster planning and long-term cap management. Charlotte still has unresolved decisions on several first-round picks, and the front office will have to weigh role, upside and financial timing as it closes in on the deadline. The answers are expected soon, but for now the Hornets are still in the middle of one of those quiet roster checkpoints that can say plenty about how a team views its own young talent. [Read more 🡒]
Hornets Face A Strange Opportunity In A Game Full Of Uncertainty
Saturday nights matchup has taken on a strange look before the ball is even tipped, with Philadelphia already thinning out its rotation and Charlotte still dealing with its own injury absences. The 76ers have ruled out LeBron James and Joel Embiid for injury management, while Jaylen Brown is questionable after sitting out the previous game with left patellar tendinopathy, leaving plenty of uncertainty around how the game will actually play out.
From the Hornets side, the challenge is familiar enough: they will again be without Kon Knueppel, Coby White, and Grant Williams as they try to piece together a workable lineup. Even in a game packed with missing star power, Charlottes focus has to be on making the most of the opportunity in front of it, because the opening may be unusual but the task is still the same. [Read more 🡒]