The Charlotte Hornets have had several days to strategize against Tyrese Maxey, Paul George, and the Philadelphia 76ers.
The Hornets were unable to contain the Sixers’ stars earlier this week but will have another chance on Friday in Philadelphia.
Charlotte fell 121-108 to the Sixers on Monday, with Maxey scoring 40 points, adding five assists, five rebounds, and four steals, while George contributed 33 points and eight assists. Both players hit six 3-pointers as Philadelphia improved to 5-2 in their past seven games.
Miles Bridges led the Hornets with 24 points, while LaMelo Ball added 15 points and 11 assists. The Hornets’ fortunes didn’t improve on Thursday, as they lost 123-114 to Washington, marking their 11th defeat in 12 games. Ball scored 34 points and dished out 13 assists against the Wizards.
On Thursday, Charlotte played without swingman Brandon Miller, who sprained his ankle against the Sixers. One bright spot was center Mark Williams, who recorded a season-high 16 points and grabbed eight rebounds in his sixth game of the season.
While the Hornets are dealing with a back-to-back on Thursday and Friday, the Sixers have been resting since their win over Charlotte on Monday.
Joel Embiid missed that game due to a sinus fracture and is listed as questionable for Friday’s matchup. Lee believes his team will be ready regardless.
Maxey and George have also dealt with injuries this season. George, in particular, has struggled to find consistency after hyperextending his left knee twice in the past two months.
Another Philadelphia player who has been less than fully healthy is Caleb Martin, who has struggled with his shooting due to a shoulder injury. He missed Monday’s game and will be out again on Friday.
Philadelphia will also be without rookie guard Jared McCain, who underwent knee surgery this week and is out indefinitely. This, combined with the uncertain statuses of Embiid and Martin, places more pressure on Maxey.
