LA Clippers vs Charlotte Hornets Prediction: Clippers defense to test the Hornets further

NBA Prediction scenario is a strange terrain, you never know which lower-ranked team is up for a big game and can end up upsetting the cream of the league. With midseason nearing, fatigue is settling in so there can be more upsets than before. Will it be the case when the struggling Charlotte Hornets clash against the defensive-oriented Los Angeles Clippers team?

The Clippers enter the game after defeating the Wizards 102:93 as Superstar Two-Way Wing Kawhi Leonard loaded up 31 points. The Clippers have now won 18 and lost 14 games, winning four of their last five games but still hunting a big game-winning streak. Leonard had his biggest night in the last game after his averages were down but he has continued to be a stellar defender.

The downside recently has been that Paul George has been injured and the duo of Leonard and George continue to be separated. Not having Norman Powell has also hurt the depth but the Clippers boast one of the best defenses which have bailed them out repeatedly. If they build further on this defensive identity, a deep run in Playoffs with a healthy George and an amped-up Leonard looks possible.

The Hornets finally turned the tables and defeated the Kings 125:119 as Kelly Oubre Jr. heated up for 31 points. This rare win culled an eight-game losing streak but the Hornets remain among the bottom teams with just eight wins and have already lost 23 games. They were without LaMelo Ball for more than 80% of the games and this derailed their campaign alongside some shoddy play repeatedly.

Miles Bridges, who is in legal trouble also played a huge role last season when the Hornets were among the highest-scoring teams and now the team is dependent more upon hero ball rather than having a balanced attack on a nightly basis. The Hornets’ defense is one of the worst and this mixture of awful offense and defense has sent them back in big ways. Let us see if there is some silver lining by the end of what has been otherwise an underwhelming season.

• Clippers: QUESTIONABLE: Norman Powell, Ivica Zubac, Paul George, Reggie Jackson;
• Hornets: OUT: Cody Martin, Dennis Smith Jr. DOUBTFUL: Terry Rozier.

The Hornets did win in the last game but their effort can be in jeopardy against a lockdown team like the Clippers which is not likely to spare struggling teams with Kawhi at helm. There are a bunch of Game-Time Decisions for the Clippers but I think the current team has learned to play alongside Leonard already. This is why I’d back the Clippers to win big here and predict a scoreline of 111:99 in their favor.