Pelicans Return Home

New Orleans had a 3-2 road trip before this game, culminating with a loss in Dallas. They’ll look to get back on track using a healthy squad and the seventh-best defensive rating in the NBA. The Pelicans are a top-10 team at forcing turnovers and missed shots. They allow the third-lowest three-point percentage despite giving up the second-most attempts per game. This team also surrenders the 10th-fewest free throw attempts per contest. When it comes to defensive rebounding, the Pelicans are a middle-of-the-pack team. Getting stops is where it starts for the Pelicans.

On the other end, New Orleans is 12th in offensive rating. Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson both average over 20 points per game, while CJ McCollum is just under that mark at 19.6. New Orleans is ninth in true shooting percentage thanks to the seventh-best three-point percentage in the league. They take the seventh-highest percentage of shots at the rim. The Pelicans average the fifth-most free throw attempts per game, although they’re 24th in free throw percentage. The team’s ball security and offensive rebounding are solid. Quietly, the Pelicans are a well-rounded team.

Hornets Still Traveling

Charlotte’s three-game road trip ends with this one in Louisiana. Hopefully, it’ll also mark the end of a five-game losing streak, especially with LaMelo Ball back on the court. However, the team is still missing Gordon Hayward, Mark Williams, and potentially Brandon Miller (questionable). The Hornets are also 29th in defensive rating, which makes most games an uphill battle. They are in the league’s bottom third at forcing misses from every level of the floor, including the worst three-point percentage against this season. Charlotte is 23rd in defensive rebounding percentage and 21st in free throw rate. Their greatest strength is the 12th-best turnover percentage. Getting stops is a major issue for this team.

Then, there’s the offense, which has only reached 100 points once during their five-game losing streak. Charlotte is averaging 97.4 points per game in their past five contests. They’re 27th in offensive rating and 28th in true shooting percentage this season. The Hornets have a bottom-10 shooting percentage from all three scoring levels. They’re 10th in free throw percentage but take the fewest free throw attempts per game. Charlotte’s offensive rebounding and ball security are below average. There are a lot of reasons that the Hornets have the league’s worst net rating.