Scuffling squads collide Saturday night as the Utah Jazz host the Charlotte Hornets at the Delta Center.
The Hornets (13–25, 12th East) have lost five of their last seven games, a brutal stretch capped by a Thursday loss to the NBA-worst Pacers at home. The Jazz (13–24, 13th West), meanwhile, recently snapped a five-game slide at home against the Mavericks Thursday, though they’ll head into Saturday’s contest with several starters sidelined.
The teams first met on Nov. 2 in Charlotte, where the Hornets rolled to a 126–103 rout.
Here’s a look at the Injury Report:
Charlotte Hornets
- OUT: Mason Plumlee (Groin), Liam McNeeley (G League Assignment)
- QUESTIONABLE: Pat Connaughton (Illness)
Utah Jazz
- OUT: Lauri Markkanen (Rest), Ace Bailey (Hip), Walker Kessler (Shoulder), Georges Niang (Foot), Jusuf Nurkic (Foot)
Tipoff is set for 9:30 p.m. ET. Charlotte enters as a 5.5-point road favorite on DraftKings Sportsbook, while Utah sits as a +164 underdog. The game’s total is set at 239.5 points.
Hornets vs. Jazz Preview
Charlotte Hornets Preview
While the Hornets have yet to break the mold as one of the NBA’s perennial bottom-feeders, they’re slowly chipping away at shifting the narrative. Charlotte ranks 12th league-wide in offensive rating, with a lineup comprising a blossoming young core and four players scoring 19-plus points per game.
Rookie sensation Kon Knueppel — who averages 19.3 points while shooting 42.7% from deep — headlines a youth movement which also features Brandon Miller, Ryan Kalkbrenner, and Moussa Diabate. Meanwhile, 27-year-old former lottery picks Colin Sexton and Miles Bridges provide strong offensive contributions and veteran leadership.
Oh, and that LaMelo Ball guy is pretty good too. The former Rookie of the Year leads the team with 20 points, 7.9 assists, and 1.2 steals a night despite playing on a minutes restriction. In an effort to preserve him for crunch time, Ball came off the bench for the first time since his rookie year against the Pacers on Thursday. The result? He dropped 33 points on 7-of-15 shooting from long range, along with eight assists and three steals — giving prime Lou Williams a run for his money.
Utah Jazz Preview
The Jazz are playing out of tune, and the band is missing a few key instruments on Saturday night. Former All-Star Lauri Markkanen headlines Utah’s injury report, leaving the already floundering roster to compensate for his team-high 27.9 points and seven rebounds per game. Leading rebounder Jusuf Nurkic will also be sidelined, further weakening a depleted Jazz frontcourt without Walker Kessler.
Utah already owns the NBA’s worst-ranked defensive rating, and its coverage becomes increasingly more vulnerable without multiple key paint protectors.
The Jazz’s seemingly only hope is to keep up with Charlotte’s high-octane offense, which would place much of the burden on All-Star hopeful Keyonte George. The third-year guard is having a phenomenal season — averaging 24.1 points, 6.9 assists, and 4.3 rebounds a night — but he’ll be tasked with carrying an offense without another player averaging double digits. Easier said than done.
Hornets vs. Jazz Pick, Best Bet
Utah’s NBA-worst offense just got weaker, and it should struggle to contain LaMelo and Co. Expect the Hornets to thread through the Jazz’s nonexistent defense and cover the 5.5-point spread on Saturday night in Salt Lake City.
