The Toronto Raptors and Charlotte Hornets share more than just similarities, and unfortunately, it's not a particularly positive connection.
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The Toronto Raptors and Charlotte Hornets share more than just similarities, and unfortunately, it’s not a particularly positive connection. However, one of these teams in a slump is bound to break the streak and notch a win when they face off on Friday night in Charlotte, N.C.
Wednesday night proved to be another tough one for both teams, marking their fourth loss in five games. The Raptors fell 112-103 to the Miami Heat at home, while the Charlotte Hornets faced a 111-100 defeat on the road against the Chicago Bulls. For the Raptors and Hornets, their recent struggles seem to be tied to a common theme: a lapse in attention to crucial details.
The Hornets might catch a break with the return of center Mark Williams, who sat out his first game of the season on Wednesday due to a back contusion. His absence possibly played a role in the Bulls securing a season-high 21 offensive rebounds.
For the Hornets, Ball (ankle injury), Martin (knee injury), Ntilikina (knee injury), and Williams (back injury) will not be playing the game. As for the Raptors, Koloko will be sitting this one out due to illness. Besides, Harper, Dick, and Nowell are questionable to be available for the game.
Pascal Siakam of the Toronto Raptors notched an impressive 30 points in the game against Miami. This marks the fourth occasion this season that he has crossed the 30-point threshold. Siakam stands at the forefront for the team, boasting an average of 20.5 points per game. Despite being part of one of the NBA’s lowest-scoring teams, which averages 110.8 points per game, Siakam continues to be a standout contributor.
The offensive struggles can be traced, at least in part, to Dennis Schroder, who has tallied single-digit points in two of the last three games, averaging 15.5 points per game.
On the upside for the Raptors, they might catch a break facing a Charlotte team that allows an average of 121.6 points per game. Teams have been finding success from beyond the arc against the Hornets, shooting nearly 39 percent on 3-pointers.
The Raptors are on a two-game losing streak on the road as they prepare to face the Hornets. This matchup marks their first encounter of the season, with a rematch set for December 18 in Toronto. Interestingly, the Raptors-Hornets clash scheduled for Friday night was included in the schedule after both teams were eliminated from the inaugural NBA in-season tournament.
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