Previewing Cavs opponents: Hornets
Cavs news and links for Thursday, September 19.
The first sip
The Charlotte Hornets have won 48 combined games since 2022. That’s as many as the Cleveland Cavaliers won in last season alone. But while no one expects the Hornets to make much of a buzz — they could prove to be a pesky team for the Cavs to face four times.
Charlotte has some hurdles to clear. They weren’t a good team on either end of the floor last season and only so much can be excused by the absence of LaMelo Ball, who missed 60 games due to injury.
Ball is a fascinating young star. He has an undeniable gift for playmaking but his sporadic decision-making and lack of effort defensively are serious causes for concern. It’s yet to be seen how much of a winner Ball can be.
Fortunately for the Hornets, Brandon Miller is an electrifying 6’9” wing who can bury jumpers from all over the floor. Miller will need to improve in the paint before becoming a star but he’s a fantastic building block for the franchise.
A new lottery pick (Tidjane Salaun) and head coach (Charles Lee) probably won’t be enough for them to turn everything around. The defense is going to struggle and the offense will be overly reliant on their developing prospects. Yet still, they’ll have talent enough to sting you on occasion.
How the Cavs played the Hornets last season
The Cavs went just 1-2 against Charlotte last season. Not great for a team that doubled their opponents' win total.
It was a weird season series, to be fair. The Cavaliers entered a funk in the back half of the season as waves of injuries finally began to exhaust them. Donovan Mitchell was absent for both losses while the team desperately limped to the finish line. Of course, on the final day of the regular season, one can argue the Cavs intentionally lost to the Hornets. That’s up to you to decide.
Cavs vs Hornets this season:
- Home - Nov. 17
- at Charlotte - Dec. 7
- Home - Jan. 5
- at Charlotte - Mar. 7
Notable players who have been with both franchises
- Dell and Seth Curry serve as the father-son duo who have played for both franchises. Dell spent nearly 10 years in Charlotte while Seth joined the franchise late last season. Both Curry’s have played just one season in Cleveland.
- Baron Davis will be fondly remembered by Cavs fans for the joy he provided following The Decision. But Hornets fans will remember him better for his 2002 All-Star campaign.
- Mo Williams played more than 200 games in a Cavalier uniform, culminating in a breakaway layup during Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals. Williams didn’t do as much in a Hornets jersey but his 27 games in Charlotte make him qualified for this list.