The Charlotte Hornets travel to Atlanta to take on fellow Southeast Conference team, the Atlanta Hawks. The banged-up Hornets are 1-1 to start the season following a 124-112 loss to the Pelicans in their second game. Atlanta, meanwhile are 2-0 to start the season with wins over two likely lottery-bound teams in the Rockets and Magic. Game time is scheduled for 5:00pm EST.
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The Charlotte Hornets have had a challenging offseason and start to their regular season. The team has a new coach, Steve Clifford, who is returning for his second stint as the team's head coach. His first order of business was to deal with the loss of one of the team's building blocks, Miles Bridges, whose contract has not been picked up due to a domestic violence and child abuse charge he is faces. Bridges' days as an NBA player may very well be over. Next, the team's best player, LaMelo Ball, sprained his ankle at the end of preseason and hasn't played a game yet this season. Finally, more outside distractions, as second-year guard Joe Bouknight was arrested on DWI charges on Sunday before the season got underway. Bouknight has played in two games while awaiting for a court date and is 0-for-10 from the field. The fact that the Hornets are 1-1 with all these distractions is a credit to Clifford and his leadership.
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“We played hard. (The Pelicans are) good, obviously. We played well, we were right there.” – Coach Clifford
— Charlotte Hornets (@hornets) October 22, 2022
The Hornets have utilized Terry Rozier at point guard in Ball's absence. Rozier did have 11 assists in the loss to the Pelicans but is a better player off the ball. Last season was sixth in the league in scoring last season at 120.5 points per game. Thus far this year without Bridges and Ball, the team has still put up numbers with over 120 points per game. They still have playmakers with Rozier and veteran forward Gordon Hayward but certainly miss the skill set that Ball offers. Defensively, the Hornets were bad last season and look like a team that will struggle in that department this season as well. They lack size inside and players like Rozier, Hayward and Ball when he returns, have not been career defensive stalwarts.
Key Injuries: Ball has already been ruled out for Sunday and now Rozier is also listed as doubtful with an ankle sprain of his own. F Cody Martin is also listed as doubtful with a quad injury.
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