Hornets at Hawks
The most interesting part of the season for both the Charlotte Hornets and the Atlanta Hawks could come at the trade deadline next week, but at least one of the Southeast Division rivals still plans to make a move up the standings. The Hornets will try to take advantage of the lowly Hawks when they visit Atlanta on Wednesday.
Charlotte brought in Dwight Howard over the summer and is loaded with big contracts but sits nine games under .500 and is already hearing trade rumors focused on leading scorer Kemba Walker. The Hornets missed an opportunity to make a move in the East with losses at playoff contenders Miami and Indiana to begin the trip, and they squandered fourth-quarter leads in both contests. The Hawks are picking themselves off the bottom of the standings in the East and earned an impressive win on Monday with a 105-100 triumph over the Minnesota Timberwolves, snapping a three-game slide. Atlanta's rebuilding squad is leaning on point guard Dennis Schroder while getting inconsistent results from the rest of a young roster.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, FS Southeast (Charlotte, Atlanta)
ABOUT THE HORNETS (20-29): Charlotte owner Michael Jordan told reporters he would not trade Walker for anything but an All-Star in return, but shooting guard Nicolas Batum, forward Marvin Williams and Howard are all making big money for a team that is on the outside of the top eight in the East. Batum signed a five-year, $120 million deal prior to the 2016-17 campaign but is struggling to produce consistently while averaging 11.4 points on 41 percent shooting. The veteran Frenchman managed nine points on 3-of-13 shooting at Miami on Saturday but followed it up by scoring 22 points on 8-of-17 from the floor in Monday's setback.
ABOUT THE HAWKS (15-35): Atlanta has its own inconsistent shooting guard in Kent Bazemore, who was held to three points on 1-of-9 shooting against Washington on Saturday but broke out for 22 points on 8-of-14 in Monday's triumph. Bazemore was at his best at Charlotte on Friday, when he scored 26 points in 31 minutes, but the Hawks suffered a 121-110 setback. Schroder was held to 11 points at the Hornets and scored nine in a loss to Washington on Saturday but collected 18 points and 11 assists on Monday in his fifth double-double.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Hawks PF Ersan Ilyasova is 1-of-19 from 3-point range over the last six games.
2. Williams (ankle) left Monday's win and is not expected to play Wednesday.
3. Charlotte took each of the first two meetings this season and five of the last six in the series.