The Cleveland Cavaliers visit the Charlotte Hornets on Monday looking to shake off a loss to the New York Knicks, while Charlotte tries to snap a six-game losing streak that has it at 3-7. Tip-off at Spectrum Center is set for 7 p.m. ET, with the Cavaliers carrying one of the NBA‘s most efficient offenses into a matchup against a Hornets team that ranks among the league’s lowest scoring outfits. The biggest question entering Monday is whether Charlotte’s battered roster can slow down a Cleveland attack averaging 117 points per game.
Cavaliers Vs Hornets Game Information
- Date: Monday, Nov. 9
- Time: 7 p.m. ET
- Venue: Spectrum Center, Charlotte, N.C.
- TV/Streaming: DAZN CLE
- Series: Season series begins Nov. 9
Can Charlotte’s Offense Find Any Rhythm?
The Hornets have lost five straight games, including a 119-80 defeat to the Boston Celtics on Nov. 7 and a 124-91 loss to the Detroit Pistons on Nov. 3. Charlotte is averaging just 96.3 points per game on 39.3% shooting from the field and 28.8% from three-point range, both marks near the bottom of the league. The Hornets also turn the ball over 18.1 times per game against only 20.8 assists, a split that has compounded their scoring problems.
Naz Reid leads Charlotte at 16.6 points and 8.1 rebounds per game, but the Hornets will be without several rotation pieces. Moussa Diabate, Charlotte’s leading rebounder at 9.1 per game, is listed as day-to-day with a right quadriceps issue and his status for Monday is uncertain. Brandon Miller (right groin soreness), Dennis Schroder (left hamstring strain), Grant Williams (right hamstring) and Kon Knueppel (left hamstring strain) are all out, leaving the Hornets thin at forward and guard.
How Does Cleveland’s Offense Compare To Charlotte’s Defense?
Cleveland enters at 5-5 and sits second in the Central Division, 2 games behind the first-place Detroit Pistons. The Cavaliers have split their last four games, beating the Philadelphia 76ers 119-95 on Nov. 7 before falling to the Knicks 109-97 on Sunday. Donovan Mitchell leads Cleveland at 24.0 points, 5.1 rebounds and 5.6 assists per game, while Evan Mobley paces the team on the boards at 8.1 per game and James Harden runs the offense at 5.8 assists per game.
The Cavaliers’ 117.0 points per game and 45.9% field-goal shooting both outpace Charlotte’s defensive numbers, which include 31.0 defensive rebounds and 7.0 steals per game allowed on the season. Cleveland is shooting 36.4% from three compared to Charlotte’s 28.8%, a gap that could matter if the Hornets’ undermanned frontcourt struggles to contest on the perimeter.
Cleveland’s own injury report includes center Jarrett Allen, who is day-to-day with a right knee issue, along with Sam Merrill (right elbow) and Jaylon Tyson (right ankle sprain), both out. If Allen is unable to go, Mobley projects to see additional minutes at center alongside the Cavaliers’ perimeter rotation.
What Is The Key Matchup To Watch?
The clearest matchup to track is Cleveland’s frontcourt scoring against a Hornets defense that is already down Diabate’s rebounding presence and Williams at forward. The Cavaliers are averaging 25.9 made two-point field goals per game on 54.4% shooting from inside the arc, numbers that could be tested against a Charlotte defense that ranks low across most team defensive categories this season. Mobley’s rebounding and interior scoring, paired with Mitchell’s playmaking, give Cleveland multiple ways to attack a shorthanded Hornets roster.
Who Are The Expected Starters?
Cleveland’s probable lineup projects to include Mitchell, Harden and Mobley, with Allen’s status still to be determined given his day-to-day designation. Charlotte’s expected starting group is likely to lean on Reid as the focal scorer, with the Hornets’ available depth at forward limited by the absences of Miller and Williams. Both lineups remain projections until the Cavaliers and Hornets submit official starters before tip-off.
What To Watch
Charlotte sits 3.5 games behind the Atlanta Hawks in the Southeast Division and is working to stop a six-game skid that has defined its first ten games of the season. Cleveland, meanwhile, is trying to build consistency after alternating wins and losses over its last four outings. A win for the Cavaliers would move them closer to the Pistons atop the Central, while a Hornets win would snap their longest losing streak of the young season.
For more on Cleveland’s recent stretch, see coverage of the Cavaliers’ win over the 76ers and the preview of Cleveland’s game against the Knicks. Charlotte’s struggles were also previewed ahead of its matchup with the Wizards.
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