The Charlotte Hornets have dropped three straight outings and will hope to get back on track in a big way with a key season-series-deciding matchup against the Brooklyn Nets starting tonight at 7:30 p.m. ET.
This will be the final game of the campaign between the two sides, with the Nets currently leading things, 2-1. Brooklyn squandered a 19-point second-half lead to the Hornets last Friday in Charlotte only to rally from eight down with three minutes to go to escape Spectrum Center with a victory. The sixth-seeded Nets are 4-7 over their last 11 outings and through Wednesday, sit 3.0 games in front of the eighth-seeded Hornets in the Eastern Conference standings.
Kemba Walker capped off a brilliant February with a 35-point outing against the Rockets on Wednesday night and the Hornets will need more of the same to stay alive in the postseason race. The Charlotte captain averaged 29.1 PPG, 6.0 APG and 1.6 SPG in 11 games last month, while not surprisingly leading the team in both offensive rating (116.7) and net rating (5.4).
Walker will be going head to head with another fellow All-Star in D’Angelo Russell, who is coming off his first career appearance in the NBA’s showcase event. The lefty from the Ohio State University erupted for a career-high-tying 40 points in Charlotte last week and on the year, is averaging 20.6 PPG, 6.7 APG, 1.1 SPG and ranks eighth in the league in three-pointers (173).
The Hornets let Russell get shots off a bit too easily the last time around as he was a major factor in the team’s stunning come-from-behind win in the closing minutes. Charlotte’s wings and guards need to be more aggressive in picking him up in the halfcourt if they want any shot at snagging a badly-needed road win at the Barclays Center.
Game Note – Brooklyn’s second-leading scorer Spencer Dinwiddie (17.2 PPG) is expected to play for the first time since Jan. 23 (torn right thumb ligaments)… Brooklyn has the fourth-worst offensive rating (105.1) and fifth-best defensive rating (106.3) since the All-Star Break. Charlotte ranks T-10th in offense (112.2) and 25th in defense (113.4) during this stretch.
Classic Fact – The first points-assists double-double in team history was recorded by Michael Holton against the New Jersey Nets on Nov. 15, 1988. Holton finished with 12 points and 10 assists in the 106-99 home loss.