The NBA postseason kicks off tonight, with the #9 Indiana Pacers vs #10 Charlotte Hornets in the Eastern Conference ‘play-in’ round. The Hornets are currently on a 5 game losing streak and will be without Gordon Hayward, while the Pacers have 5 of their top 6 players in the rotation ruled out or questionable for the game.
The difference in the matchup will be the absence of Pacers big man Myles Turner. One of the biggest knocks on the Hornets has been their interior post play, but Charlotte has been good on the offensive boards, grabbing 28% of their missed shots; while the Pacers are ranked dead last in the NBA in defensive rebounding.
The Hornets are one of the best at sharing the rock, finishing the season with 26.8 assists per game. This is in contrast to the Pacers defense allowing the third highest assist per game margin (26.1) this season.
The Hornets are surprisingly ranked in the top ten at limiting points in the paint this season. If they can somehow find a way to translate that into slowing down Pacers PF Domantas Sabonis, then they can control the tempo with a small ball lineup led by Lamelo Ball and Terry Rozier.
Embed from Getty ImagesMy prediction is the Hornets control the offensive glass, which will lead to open looks from behind the arc. Sabonis plays well, but the injuries are too much for the Pacers to overcome. Final Score: Hornets 118, Pacers 107.
