The Charlotte Hornets haven’t often faced teams with worse records than theirs in December over recent years, but that doesn’t make Tuesday night’s task any easier as they host the Philadelphia 76ers.
The 76ers have secured just four wins this season, but half of those victories came in their last four outings. They will aim for their first consecutive wins of the season after an impressive 111-96 victory at Detroit on Saturday.
The Hornets are in a slump, having lost five straight games and seven of their last eight. They are also dealing with more adjustments to the rotation due to injuries.
Half of Philadelphia’s wins have been on the road. One of their home triumphs came on November 10, when the Sixers defeated the Hornets 107-105 in overtime, buoyed by rookie guard Jared McCain’s 27 points.
Since that game, McCain has been Philadelphia’s leading scorer five times in nine games.
The 76ers are also dealing with injuries. Backcourt players Kyle Lowry (hip) and Reggie Jackson (knee) have been sidelined, which means McCain might be called upon to handle some point guard duties.
McCain didn’t play point guard during his one season at Duke, so transitioning to that role will be an adjustment.
The Hornets received unfortunate news over the weekend as guards LaMelo Ball (calf) and Tre Mann (back) will miss extended time, likely two weeks or more, dealing a blow to the roster.
Charlotte could see more offensive production from Brandon Miller, who has been performing at a high level. He has scored at least 20 points in seven consecutive games, surpassing 30 points three times in that span.
Miller’s role as the go-to scorer has led to an increase in his shot attempts, with 23 or more in four of the last six games. However, he made just 10 of 30 shots in Saturday’s 107-104 home loss to the Atlanta Hawks.
On the positive side for Charlotte, the Hornets will benefit from the return of center Nick Richards, who was back in action over the weekend after missing about a month due to a rib injury.
