Cavs vs Hornets Preview, Start Time, TV, Line and Injury Report

The Cavs, who are currently making history, will battle the re-energized Hornets.

Who: Cleveland Cavaliers (14-0) vs. Charlotte Hornets (5-7)

Where: Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse – Cleveland Ohio

When: 6 p.m., Sunday, November 17

TV: Fanduel Sports Network Ohio (formerly Bally Sports), NBA League Pass

Line: Cavs -10

Projected Cavs starting lineup: Darius Garland, Caris LeVert, Isaac Okoro, Georges Niang, Jarrett Allen.

Cavs injury report: Donovan Mitchell (OUT – rest), Evan Mobley (PROBABLE – illness), Max Strus (OUT – ankle), Sam Merrill (OUT – ankle), Emoni Bates (OUT – knee)

Hornets projected starting lineup: LaMelo Ball, Josh Green, Brandon Miller, Miles Bridges, Grant Williams

Hornets injury report: LaMelo Ball – questionable (finger), Miles Bridges – questionable (right knee), DaQuan Jeffries – OUT (hand), Tre Mann – questionable (back), Nick Richards – OUT (rib), KJ Simpson – OUT (G League), Mark Williams – OUT (foot)

Fear the sword is hosting a livestream viewing party for select games this year Play. Participate me and Tony Pesta as we react to all the action.

What to pay attention to

The two large line-ups against a thinned Hornets front field

The Cavaliers have a clear advantage in the health of the frontcourt. Charlotte has given 39-year-old Taj Gibson meaningful minutes for the opening stretch of their season. You can reread that sentence if you haven’t noticed it yet. The Hornets are currently dealing with injuries to their two true centers on the roster. Nick Richards has been struggling with a rib injury week after week and Mark Williams has not yet played this season due to a foot injury.

This appears to be an area where the Cavs can attack. The Hornets have struggled to generate rim presence, recently giving up 81% of looks at the rim in their Nov. 12 matchup with the Magic. The Cavaliers are currently taking the sixth-most shots at the rim. With the Cavs generally pushing the ball to the rim, the Hornets would have to wait a long night to figure out how to relieve the rim pressure.

The resurgence of Darius Garland and LaMelo Ball

The two young guards have had a similar story this season. Both suffered from injuries, which delayed their rise to stardom. Garland missed 25 games due to various injuries and personal issues. His body was never the same when he returned and seemed to have been removed from the All-Star guard of years before. LaMelo’s injuries have sidelined him for seasons. He missed 60 games last season due to an ankle injury that required surgery.

Fast forward to this season, both guards appear to be back and have even surpassed their pre-injury levels of play. Garland has transformed his game from even his best years in Cleveland. The efficiency with which Garland plays is unparalleled in his young career. With an absurdly effective field goal percentage of 64%, Garland ranks in the 97th percentile league-wide. No other player in the league has played the minutes Garland has logged and remains as efficient. Garland seems to have found his rhythm on offense, finding his spots and making his mark in the moments he holds.

LaMelo is currently scorching the earth. He currently serves as a lifeboat for the Hornets’ offense. Ball’s usage rate is 38.5%, which is the highest in the league and puts him in the 100th percentile. This puts him among the likes of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jaylen Brown, Cade Cunningham and Paul George.

Ball is taking full advantage of the high usage as he ranks third in points per game in the league, scoring 29.9 per night. This is also the most efficient usage of his career (55% eFG), so it’s not like the possessions are necessarily as hollow as they felt years ago. LaMelo has always been an enticing prospect, dating back to his days at Chino Hills. Seeing LaMelo mentally free up, driving to the rim and showing his unlimited range, can unlock a Hornets offense that seems to be pedestrian most of the time.