Hornets at Pelicans
The Charlotte Hornets and the New Orleans Pelicans have more in common than a North Carolina franchise pedigree. Both teams will be looking to put together back-to-back wins after ending lengthy slides when the Pelicans host the Hornets on Friday.
The Hornets ended a seven-game slide with a 107-84 demolition of the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday that featured a defensive intensity not seen during the slide. Charlotte held the Hawks, who had averaged 123 points in their previous two games, to 37 percent from the floor after allowing an average of 107 points during the losing streak. The Hornets will need to turn that defense loose on the perimeter against the Pelicans, who went 16-of-33 from beyond the arc in a 109-97 win at Sacramento on Wednesday that ended a four-game losing streak. “That’s the potential that we can play with,” New Orleans coach Alvin Gentry told reporters. “We’ve just got to figure out how to do it night in and night out.”
TV: 8 p.m. ET, FSN Southeast (Charlotte), FSN New Orleans
ABOUT THE HORNETS (18-20): Charlotte showed signs that a breakout defensive effort was in the works by holding the Los Angeles Clippers and Denver Nuggets under 100 points in the last two of a four-game road trip but put it all together with the offense on Wednesday. Guard Kemba Walker went 7-of-28 from the field and totaled 22 points in the losses to Denver and Los Angeles but picked it up with 23 points on 9-of-13 against the Hawks. Center Cody Zeller had his best game at both ends, recording 19 points and 10 rebounds while holding opposing center Al Horford to two and two.
ABOUT THE PELICANS (12-26): The 16 3-pointers in Sacramento tied a franchise record, and both Gentry and his players were quick to credit the passing for creating open shots. “When we move the ball we have a lot of weapons – we just need to take advantage of them,” forward Ryan Anderson, who went 4-of-6 from beyond the arc, told reporters. “When we move the ball consistently like that we’re tough to guard.” Guard Eric Gordon went 6-of-12 from 3-point range in the win after making just 3-of-14 in the previous three games.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Pelicans G Tyreke Evans left Wednesday’s game with a right knee injury and is day-to-day.
2. Charlotte G Jeremy Lamb left the last game with a toe injury and is questionable.
3. New Orleans has taken five of the last seven in the series.