Even with some notable results early in the season, the Charlotte Hornets’ achievements can’t quite compare to those of the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Hornets will have the next opportunity to challenge the Cavaliers’ perfect record when the teams face off on Sunday evening in Cleveland. On Friday night, the Cavaliers posted a season-high point total in their 144-126 victory against the Chicago Bulls.
Cleveland became the first team in nearly a decade to start the season with a 14-0 record, a feat achieved by only six teams in NBA history.
Donovan Mitchell has been a standout for the Cavaliers, reaching the 30-point mark in four games this season, including a season-high 37 points against Chicago. Darius Garland has been the perfect backcourt partner, averaging 24.6 points per game.
Cleveland’s closest games this month were back-to-back nail-biters against Milwaukee, winning 114-113 and 116-114.
The Hornets, meanwhile, are coming off a thrilling 115-114 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday afternoon, where LaMelo Ball played a crucial role in the second half. Ball tied the game and hit the go-ahead free throws with 7.1 seconds left, snapping Charlotte’s two-game losing streak.
Ball is averaging 29.6 points per game and scored 15 of his 26 points in the second half on Saturday. He has led the team in scoring in 10 of their 12 games this season.
Two of the Hornets’ five wins this season have come by just one point.
Charlotte has struggled on the road, losing four straight away games and holding a 1-4 road record.
The Hornets received a boost from Tre Mann, who scored 11 points off the bench on Saturday after missing the previous game due to a lingering ailment. His availability for Sunday’s game might be in question due to the quick turnaround.
A double-double from Moussa Diabate on Saturday, with 12 points and 14 rebounds, provided another bright spot for the Hornets.
Sunday’s matchup will be the first of four meetings between the teams this season.
