Preview: Hornets return home to face underachieving Bulls

Jan 26, 2023 - 6:30 PM

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What: Charlotte Hornets (13-36) vs Chicago Bulls (22-25)

When: 7:30pm EST (peep the different start time)

Where: Spectrum Center; Charlotte, NC

How to watch: Bally Sports Southeast, NBA League Pass

Outfitting: Hornets—City (black), Bulls—Icon (red)

This game was originally supposed to be nationally televised on TNT, hence the 7:30 local start time. Then both Ball brothers got hurt and their teams turned into dumpster fires. Now we’re back to our regularly scheduled local programming while the Knicks and Celtics take all the national glory.

The Hornets have upgraded LaMelo Ball and Gordon Hayward to questionable while Terry Rozier is listed as probable with an illness. Kelly Oubre and Cody Martin remain out.

The Bulls are relatively healthy and have been playing slightly better of late. They’ve won three of their last four and are 6-4 over their last ten. Their below average offense has ticked up to average and their average defense has been above average. Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, and Nikola Vucevic have all averaged over 20 points per game over the last ten games while the rest of the roster sans Coby White is there to do all of the defending.

This is the second meeting between these two teams this season. In the first, the Bulls three stars combined to shoot 25.6% from the field for 33 combined points. The Bulls won by 18. The Hornets shot 39.1% from the field and made seven 3-pointers as part of their 88 point performance.