The Charlotte Hornets are on a late-season surge, having won all of their last four games. Can they make it five in a row when they host the Cleveland Cavaliers this Wednesday? Or will the Cavs stop the Hornets on their tracks? Read on for a preview of this game below.
Just like against most other teams, LeBron James have had great performances in the two games opposite the Hornets so far this season. James has averaged a triple-double of 29.0 points, 11 rebounds, and 10.5 assists, and also shot 50 percent from the field versus Charlotte. The Hornets simply has no reliable player to assign to James, so expect the four-time MVP to wreak havoc on the floor again this Wednesday. Although they’ve met the Hornets twice already, the Cavs have not fought Charlotte with their new roster that includes Rodney Hood, Jordan Clarkson, and Larry Nance. That said, it will still start and end with LeBron James for the Cavs, who are fifth in the league in scoring as of this writing 111.1 points per game.
The Hornets are making a last-ditch effort to reach the playoffs, and a victory over Cleveland will help them achieve that unlikely target. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist is not going to stop LeBron James, but he could soften the impact of whatever it is The King will do to them by continuing his good play against the Cavs. In two games versus Cleveland this season, MKG has averaged a team-best 19.5 points on 58.6 field goal shooting percentage. He had 17 points to go with five rebounds during a close 100-99 road loss to Cleveland way back on Nov. 24. Dwight Howard and Kemba Walker, meanwhile, will be the top two weapons for Charlotte. In that November game, Howard had a double-double of 20 points and 13 rebounds. Walker had 15 points and eight dimes. Walker is coming a good game, scoring 31 points in a high-scoring 137-128 win over the Knicks on Monday at home.
