By: Anthony Evangelista
The Los Angeles Lakers look to keep their three-game winning streak alive as they attack game two of their six-game road stretch against the Charlotte Hornets, who are coming off a 31-point blowout win against the Pelicans.
The Hornets have been surging recently, winning five of their last eight behind point guard LaMelo Ball’s efficient play. This will be the second game for Charlotte since it was announced that 22-year-old forward Brandon Miller will undergo surgery on his right wrist, knocking him out for the rest of the season.
This will be the first Hornets home game since the 2007-08 season that is broadcast to local audiences on free over-the-air television.
Tipoff: Monday, Jan. 27 at 7 p.m. ET
Venue: Spectrum Center, Charlotte, N.C.
Spread: Los Angeles -5.5
Key Points to Watch
The loss of Miller comes at a rough time for the Hornets, as the second-year forward has averaged 21.0 points this season and has come into his own as a facilitator on the team. However, Miller’s injury occurring during a lost season for the Hornets gives Charlotte the opportunity to evaluate their young talent and view who can contribute for the future. Players like Mark Williams and Nick Smith Jr. have looked extremely efficient as their minutes have increased, and Moussa Diabate has looked to be a jack-of-all-trades for the team. As the season goes on, expect to see more usage out of Charlotte’s young guys as coach Charles Lee looks to find rotational pieces for next year’s Hornets squad that can hopefully find their way back into the playoffs.
Embed from Getty ImagesBall has been playing at an elite level for all of January, averaging 25.5 points on the month while contributing 13 steals on the defensive side over the last seven games. Ball’s shot selection has slightly shifted over the month, taking fewer 3-pointers than usual and focusing more on getting to the charity stripe, putting up 13 free-throw attempts in the Jan. 17 win at Chicago. He has also been passing the rock methodically, averaging 8.5 assists over his last six games and opening up scoring opportunities for a team that hasn’t scored under 100 points since November. Ball is going to need a strong performance to beat the likes of LeBron James and Anthony Davis, who have been on a roll in recent games.
The matchup to watch tonight is Davis and Williams down low, as the Lakers’ strong offensive attack inside will be a tough task for Williams to handle. Williams has struggled with matchups against players of Davis’ caliber, so tonight will be a good indicator for Charlotte’s future if Williams can hold his own against the 9x All-Star. The Hornets have been a strong rebounding team this year, and if their perimeter defense holds up, Williams’ skills on the glass will be tested.
The Lakers’ Rui Hachimura has been ruled out for tonight’s contest as he nurses a calf injury. This leaves Dorian Finney-Smith in line to start his second-straight game as the injury bug continues to impact Los Angeles, with Gabe Vincent also out. The Lakers could roll out with an eight-man rotation tonight, keeping starters in the game for longer and giving the Hornets an advantage in the fatigue category.
Final Analysis
The Lakers are a talented team that continue to win tight games. If the Hornets want to come away with this one, they are going to have to rely on getting shots up quickly and crashing the glass. The Lakers have done a great job this season of slowing down the tempo of their opposition, and Charlotte will have a hard time staying in this one if their possessions are taking up the entire shot clock. Miles Bridges and Josh Green have been strong from beyond the arc this season, and their percentages tonight can end up becoming the difference between a close game and a double-digit Laker lead. Overall, the Hornets have a chance, but James and the Lakers seem poised to take tonight’s contest.
Prediction
Lakers 116, Hornets 108
