- Charlotte Hornets (6-8) vs. Chicago Bulls (6-8)
- Friday, Jan. 22, 2021 at 7 PM EST (Spectrum Center)
- Fox Sports Southeast, FOX Sports GO App and WFNZ 610 AM or 102.5 FM
- Last time out: Hornets won, 103-93, on Feb. 20, 2020 in Chicago
Hornets Entering Tonight’s Game Coming Off Five Days Rest
Charlotte was already staring at a much-needed three-day break following last Saturday’s narrow road loss to Toronto before Wednesday’s home outing against Washington was postponed. And with the extended time off, the team got in four solid days of practice and will likely have center Cody Zeller back from a fractured left hand he suffered on Opening Night. The Hornets have gone 3-5 in games following three-or-more days of rest since the start of last season, while Chicago (which last played Monday night) is 1-6 across the same time frame. Which team looks more rested versus who looks rustier will be an interesting element heading into tonight’s showdown.
Charlotte Looks to Slow Down Sharp-Shooting Zach LaVine
Currently the NBA’s fifth-leading scorer with a career-high 27.4 points per game, Bulls guard Zach LaVine infamously drained an improbable last-second three-pointer coming off an inbounds takeaway to help Chicago steal a road victory against the Hornets last November. The seventh-year veteran had a career-high 49 points and sank 13 three-pointers in that outing and now, is also putting up more personal bests in field-goal percentage (50%), rebounding (4.8) and assists (5.3). Look for the Hornets to attack LaVine a lot in the pick-and-roll, an area he ranks second in the NBA in scoring as the main ball-handler (13.4 points on 53% shooting).
Get the Offense Going with Points Off Turnovers and in Transition
Chicago enters this matchup sitting 28th in the NBA in defensive rating (113.8) after finishing last season with the ninth-best ranking (108.9). A major reason for the decline has likely been the increased pace (second in the league right now) under new Head Coach Billy Donovan which although has helped the scoring, has also steered the Bulls towards 29th- place rankings in turnover percentage (17.0%) and points allowed off turnovers (21.3). Charlotte is third in the league in points following takeaways (20.0) and on the fast break (16.1) and taking advantage of its proficiency in this particular area should be a major emphasis against the visiting Bulls.
Preview Quote
“This has been rare to get something like this in the middle of the season, to get five days like this to really work on our team, get some rest, but really install and work on some of our concepts. I thought today was very valuable for us. It was fantastic. We played live today, probably close to 20-25 minutes. Yesterday and today were incredible days for our group. We got better just being focused on the moment. This was a nice break for our guys in an area that we can get better.” – Coach Borrego following Wednesday’s practice
Final Thoughts
An NBA season unlike any other presented the Hornets with an extra amount of time off this past week, which they used to address late-game situations, defensive schemes and getting healthy. Starting fast against a speedy Chicago Bulls team will be mandatory as the Hornets look to kick off a six-games-in-nine-days stretch and snap a three-game losing with a win tonight at Spectrum Center.
Additional Notes
F Chandler Hutchison and G Tomáš Satoranský are expected to be available for Chicago. Both players have been out since Dec. 29 (Health and Safety Protocols). F Patrick Williams (right hip contusion) did not play on Monday although practiced on Thursday. C Wendell Carter Jr. (thigh contusion) is considered doubtful to play against the Hornets… Charlotte has won five of the last six head-to-head meetings with the Bulls (only loss: Nov. 23, 2019)… The Bulls have notched victories in each of their last two games following losses in their previous four outings.
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Hornets Return to Action Against Bulls Following Long Break | Charlotte Hornets - Brooklynnets.com
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