Charlotte Hornets – Cleveland Cavaliers: East conference showdown
The Hornets host the Cavaliers in a straight East matchup. They split the first two meetings this season, so whoever wins here will likely own the tiebreaker if it comes down to it. Goals differ for each club, but both want the W — and that usually makes for a proper basketball game.
Charlotte Hornets: keep pushing for the Play-In
The season started slowly, but the Hornets are picking up steam. They’ve won three of their last five, and those wins weren’t all luck — they blew out weaker teams (150-95 vs. Utah), handled a title contender (135-117 vs. Lakers) and even put together a solid defensive night against Denver (110-87). The problem? They’re still wildly inconsistent. They flash brilliance, then fail to string it together.
For this one Charlotte should have its core available. The trio of LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel clicks when all three are on the floor. At home they’ve got a golden chance to grab a meaningful victory — one that helps the standings and gives them a benchmark going forward.
INJURY REPORT : Mason Plumlee (OUT) – KJ Simpson (OUT) – Tidjane Salaun (questionable)
Cleveland Cavaliers: steady the ship on the road 
A rollercoaster season for Cleveland so far. They smashed Philadelphia twice (133-107, 117-115) then collapsed against Oklahoma City (104-136) — to be fair, the Thunder were firing. Darius Garland’s absence hasn’t helped, but to be a legit contender you have to adapt when things aren’t perfect.
Cleveland arrive as favorites, even away from home where they’re just average (10-9). Facing the league’s 17th-ranked defense, the Cavs — who score at a very high clip (119.6 points per game) — need to dictate tempo, even in a hostile gym. The trap is turning it into a shootout, because that’s where Charlotte can get a foothold and become dangerous.
INJURY REPORT : Darius Garland (OUT) – Sam Merrill (OUT) – Max Strus (OUT)
NBA Pick Charlotte Hornets vs Cleveland Cavaliers
Cavaliers to win
The Hornets are at home, but Spectrum Center hasn’t been a fortress (7-12 at home this season). The Cavs will be hungry to bounce back and should be able to beat an opponent within their reach. Despite key absences, Cleveland’s offense can punish the Hornets’ defense, and that should be enough for a comfortable win.
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