After a huge win over Indiana to clinch a playoff spot the Cavs look to improve their seeding in the final regular season game as they host the Charlotte Hornets. The Hornets are 20-61 overall and 9-31 on the road.
However, the Cavs have announced that Mitchell, LeVert, and Merrill are out and Garland is doubtful for this game, so it could be that now that home court advantage has been secured they don’t care who they play in the first round. But after today they won’t play for at least six days so I don’t know why they wouldn’t play everybody who is healthy. LeVert is out due to knee “soreness” and Mitchell to “injury management”. It looks to me like the Cavs don’t care which seed they end up with.
If all of them are out then we appear to be fresh out of guards except for Craig Porter, Jr. We might see Emoni Bates. They'll probably start Porter, Strus, Okoro, Mobley, and Allen.
The Hornets lost to the Cavs in Cleveland 115-92 on March 25 despite the Cavs not having Mitchell, Strus, and Wade. Merrill and Niang were +17 and +19 off the bench.
However, two days later the Cavs lost in Charlotte 118-111 as the Hornets took advantage of a complacent Cavs’ team to score 26 points more than they did in Cleveland. JBB said the Cavs were "lazy" and "didn't bring their best effort”. Charlotte had 58 points in the paint.
Rookie small forward Brandon Miller, the #2 overall pick in the 2023 draft, scored 31 points in 35 minutes.
The Charlotte Hornets’ Brandon Miller is someone Garland considers to be like a little brother. Garland has just six double-doubles this season, two coming against the Hornets. On the other hand, Miller has posted at least 24 points in both the matchups against the Cavs. - Ethan Sands
In fact, Miller averages 27.5 points on 51% overall and 48% on 3’s in his two games against the Cavaliers. However, Miller is listed as “questionable” on the injury report with a right wrist sprain.
The rest of the Hornets’ roster is pretty uninspiring. With LaMelo Ball out the starting point guard is Vasilije Micic, who averages 11 points on 44% from the field. Tre Mann starts at the off guard spot; he averages 12 points on 43%. They have a good power forward in Miles Bridges, who averages 21 points on 44% and 34%. Forward Grant Williams averages 14 points and 5 rebounds in 31 minutes.
Williams missed Friday’s game and is day-to-day. His backup, Nick Richards, is also questionable. In their last game they started former Cavalier Marques Bolden at center. Bolden has played in 17 NBA games in his career.
Since beating the Cavs on March 27 the Hornets have lost 7 of 9. They are last in the NBA in scoring on the road at 104.7 points. They are an offensive disaster, ranking 27th in effective field goal percentage, 28th in offensive efficiency, 25th in assists, 25th in 2-point percentage, 27th in offensive rebound percentage - the numbers are bad across the board. They are average or above average at nothing.
Defensively they are last in effective field goal percentage but rank 22nd in scoring defense because they play slow and are above average at forcing turnovers, ranking 10th. Opponents shoot a lot of 3’s and make them. The Hornets rank 25th in opponents’ 3-point percentage. They are last in opponents’ 2-point percentage. They are 23rd in points in the paint allowed and 24th in blocks. Other than forcing turnovers they are below average in everything defensively, especially defending 2-point shots.
The Cavs own the tiebreaker over the Bucks so if the Bucks lose at Orlando the Cavs will claim 3rd place, assuming the Cavs win. The Bucks are without Giannis and have lost three straight. In that case the Cavs would play the Pacers in the first round assuming the Pacers beat Atlanta in their finale.
Injury report
CLEVELAND
Dean Wade - OUT (knee)
Ty Jerome - OUT (ankle)
Sam Merrill - OUT (neck)
Donovan Mitchell - OUT (neck)
Caris LeVert - OUT (knee)
Darius Garland - DOUBTFUL (back)
CHARLOTTE
Davis Bertans - QUESTIONABLE (hamstring)
Miles Bridges - QUESTIONABLE (wrist)
Brandon Miller - QUESTIONABLE (wrist)
Nick Richards - QUESTIONABLE (plantar fascia)
Grant Williams - QUESTIONABLE (ankle)
LaMelo Ball - OUT (ankle)
Seth Curry - OUT (ankle)
Cody Martin - OUT (ankle)
Mark Williams - OUT (back)