Hornets Extra: Hornets @ Hawks

Charlotte Hornets(4-13; 2-2 in Southeast Division Play) vs. Atlanta Hawks(8-6; 2-1 in Southeast Division play)

Philips Arena, Atlanta

Saturday, 7:30 p.m.

Television: SportSouth

Radio: WFNZ-AM(610 The Fan)

Last meeting: Charlotte 122, Atlanta 119(November 7th at Charlotte)

Series history(since original Hornets first season in 1988-89): ATL leads series 55-43

The struggle bus has been a rough one for the Charlotte Hornets over the last few weeks, as they come in with a 8-game losing streak entering tonight's road contest in Atlanta against the Hawks.  The last time these two teams got together in the first match-up of the "Interstate Series", the Hornets and Hawks would rage on back and forth until Lance Stephenson would nail home a three-pointer at the buzzer to give the Charlotte Hornets a 122-119 win over Atlanta in double overtime back on November 7th at "The Hive".  The Hornets are hoping that their long losing skid does come to an end tonight in Atlanta against a Hawks team that always like to give teams a run for their money.

Scouting the Hornets

If you haven't been following the struggles of the Charlotte Hornets for almost the last few weeks, then you know what the result is: loss after loss after loss.  Charlotte is currently in last place in the Southeast Division, and they come into this game losers of 8 straight, with the most recent defeat coming last night at Time Warner Cable Arena as Golden State came away with a 105-101 win over the Hornets.  With injuries taking a toll on the team, some think Hornets head coach Steve Clifford could be on the "Hot Seat", and the Hornets are hoping that they can put an end to this long losing skid tonight in Atlanta as they face the Hawks.

Scouting the Hawks

The Atlanta Hawks got back on the right track last night at Philips Arena as they cruised to a 100-91 win over the New Orleans Pelicans behind Jeff Teague's 26 point outing to lead Atlanta.  Teague is of course one of the Hawks many star players that can light up the scoreboard each night, along with Al Horford, Paul Millsap, and three-point specialist Kyle Korver.  Charlotte must try to contain the three tonight, as the Hawks are out for some revenge after what Lance Stephenson did to them back on November 7th in Charlotte, as they welcome in the Hornets to the "Highlight Factory" for another "Interstate Series" match-up tonight.

Next 4 games for the Hornets(Home games in Purple, Road games in Teal)

Wednesday: Chicago Bulls vs. Charlotte(7:00 p.m.)
Friday: New York Knicks vs. Charlotte(7:00 p.m.)
December 10th: Boston Celtics vs. Charlotte(7:00 p.m.)
December 12th: Charlotte @ Memphis Grizzlies(8:00 p.m.)

NOTES: All SportSouth telecasts begin with "Hornets Live" 30 minutes before tip-off; All Hornets games can be heard locally on flagship station WFNZ-AM (610 The Fan) and throughout the Carolinas on the Hornets Radio Network.

Hornets Extra: Warriors 105, Hornets 101

105

101

Last night before a sold-out Time Warner Cable Arena crowd of 19,381, it wasn't Stephen Curry or Klay Thompson that stole the show for the Golden State Warriors, it was Marreese Speights, who came out of nowhere to lead Golden State with 27 points, as the Warriors notched it's 8th straight win over the Charlotte Hornets 105-101.  Charlotte has now lost 8 straight games, triggering off rumors that Steve Clifford could be on the "Hot Seat" if things don't turn around for a struggling Hornets team that is currently sitting in last place in the Southeast Division with a dismal 4-13 record, and currently in 13th in the Eastern Conference.

"He saved us again." said Warriors head coach Steve Kerr. "It's like the 4th time he saved us. He's just having a terrific season."  Speights wasn't the only star who stole the show for the Warriors in their win last night, Charlotte native Stephen Curry did get into the act, finishing with 26 points on 9-of-20 shooting, while Klay Thompson added in 17 points.  The Warriors finished off the night shooting 42.4% from the field, while their three-point percentage was dismal with 26.9%.

And for the slumping Hornets, Charlotte was led in scoring by Brian Roberts off the bench with 20 points.  The Hornets hope to end this long losing skid tonight, as they visit Atlanta to take on the Hawks at Philips Arena for a 7:30 p.m. start.

Hornets Extra: Warriors vs. Hornets

Golden State Warriors(12-2) vs. Charlotte Hornets(4-12)

Time Warner Cable Arena

Friday, 7:00 p.m.

Television: SportSouth

Radio: WFNZ-AM(610 The Fan)

Last Meeting: Golden State 112, Charlotte 87(November 15th in Oakland)

Series history(since original Hornets first season in 1988-89): CHA leads series 27-22

It's the day after Thanksgiving, and the Charlotte Hornets hope to make it a successful one as they attempt to end their 7-game losing streak tonight against another Western Conference team that has a win streak of their own in the Golden State Warriors as they make a visit to Time Warner Cable Arena.  The last time these two teams met, the Warriors would take Charlotte to the woodshed in a 112-87 loss almost 2 weeks ago at Oracle Arena behind Klay Thompson's 21 point performance.

Scouting the Warriors

The Golden State Warriors are entering the game on a 7-game winning streak, and that's done in part by Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, two players who are known for their three-point shooting that has helped the Warriors get to a 12-2 mark in the early stages of the 2014-15 season so far.  Whenever the Warriors come to town, it always draws a crowd to see Charlotte native Stephen Curry, who played his college basketball at Davidson, and a good crowd is expected on hand tonight to see him and the rest of the Warriors square off against a slumping Hornets team that is looking for some answers.

Scouting the Hornets

The talk around Charlotte over the last few weeks is of course, the struggles of both, the NFL's Carolina Panthers and the NBA's Charlotte Hornets, as both teams have yet to get back into the win column.  Charlotte is in a midst of a long 7-game losing streak, after dropping a 105-87 decision to the Trail Blazers back on Wednesday night at "The Hive", as they were without Lance Stephenson for the entire 4th quarter.  Can the Hornets finally break this long losing skid?  That and many questions could be answered tonight, as Charlotte wraps up its 3-game homestand tonight against the Golden State Warriors in Charlotte.

Next 4 games for the Hornets(Home games in Purple, Road games in Teal)

Saturday: Charlotte @ Atlanta Hawks*(7:30 p.m.)

Wednesday: Chicago Bulls vs. Charlotte(7:00 p.m.)

Next Friday: New York Knicks vs. Charlotte(7:00 p.m.)

December 10th: Boston Celtics vs. Charlotte(7:00 p.m.)

*-Southeast Division game

NOTES: All SportSouth telecasts begin with "Hornets Live" 30 minutes before tip-off; All Hornets games can be heard locally on flagship station WFNZ-AM(610 The Fan) and throughout the Carolinas on the Hornets Radio Network.

Hornets Extra: Trail Blazers 105, Hornets 97

105

97

The early-season struggles have been taking a toll for the Charlotte Hornets as their losing streak now sits at 7 games, thanks to Wednesday's 105-97 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers at Time Warner Cable Arena.  The Hornets still find themselves in last place in the Southeast Division with a 4-12 mark, and are nearing the cellar in the Eastern Conference standings.

Entering the game on Wednesday, the Trail Blazers were looking for their 9th straight win, and they got in resounding fashion, thanks to Wesley Matthews, the big surprise in the game on Wednesday for the Blazers, as he would lead the way with 28 points in the win for Portland, which had 4 other players reach double figures, including Damian Lillard(22 points), Robin Lopez(15 points/10 rebounds), Chris Kaman(12 points), and Nicolas Batum(10 points), as the Blazers would finish the game with a 42.4% field goal percentage.

Charlotte was led in the loss by Brian Roberts, who had 24 points in the loss.  It will be another tough challenge tonight for the Hornets, as they finish up their three-game homestand against Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and the Golden State Warriors tonight at Time Warner Cable Arena for a 7:00 p.m. start, before they make the trek down I-85 South to square off against the Atlanta Hawks tomorrow night at Philips Arena.

Hornets Extra: Trail Blazers vs. Hornets

Portland Trail Blazers(11-3) vs. Charlotte Hornets(4-11)

Time Warner Cable Arena

Wednesday, 7:00 p.m.

Television: SportSouth

Radio: WFNZ-AM(610 The Fan)

Last meeting: Portland 102, Charlotte 100(November 11th at Portland)

Series history(since original Hornets first season in 1988-89): POR leads series 35-14

It's a battle of a team that's getting hot against a team that is currently cold, as the Portland Trail Blazers enter tonight's game with a 8-game winning streak, while the Charlotte Hornets are in a midst of a 6-game losing streak as the two teams square off tonight at Time Warner Cable Arena.  The last time these two teams met was a few weeks back at the Moda Center at the Rose Garden, as the Hornets thought they had tied the game to force it into overtime, but Gary Neal's shot was ruled no good, giving the Blazers a 102-100 win on November 11th, as the Hornets are hoping to not only get some revenge from that loss, but to end this long 6-game losing skid in the process.

Scouting the Blazers

The red-hot Portland Trail Blazers are on a roll over the last few games, as they are sitting atop the Northwest Division with a 11-3 mark and are currently on a eight-game winning streak.  The reason behind this: LaMarcus Aldridge and Damian Lillard, two of the best players on the Trail Blazers roster, as Aldridge leads the team with a 22.2 points per game average, while Lillard isn't that far behind with a 19.9 points per game average.  Portland is looking for their 9th straight win with the two leading the way as they come into Charlotte tonight to face a struggling Hornets team.

Scouting the Hornets

The Charlotte Hornets are of course, struggling in these first couple of months of the 2014-15 season, struggling with closing out games, holding on to leads, and of course, early season injuries that have contributed to this 6-game losing skid.  Charlotte dropped arguably one of their worst games of the season at the hands of the Los Angeles Clippers back on Monday night at the Hive, but they do have one thing on their minds: revenge.  They hope to get some payback from that November 11th game tonight as they welcome in the surging Trail Blazers to "The Hive" for this match-up on the night before Thanksgiving.

Next 4 games for the Hornets(Home games in Purple, Road games in Teal)

Friday: Golden State Warriors vs. Charlotte(7:00 p.m.)
Saturday: Charlotte @ Atlanta Hawks*(7:00 p.m.)
Next Wednesday: Chicago Bulls vs. Charlotte(7:00 p.m.)
Next Friday: New York Knicks vs. Charlotte(7:00 p.m.)
*-Southeast Division game

NOTES: All SportSouth telecasts begin with "Hornets Live" 30 minutes before tip-off; All Hornets games can be heard locally on flagship station WFNZ-AM(610 The Fan) and throughout the Carolinas on the Hornets Radio Network.

Hornets Extra: L.A. Clippers 113, Hornets 92

113

92

Another game, another loss, as the Charlotte Hornets saw their losing streak reach 6 games, as they are now 4-11 on the year after the Los Angeles Clippers demolished Charlotte last night at Time Warner Cable Arena by a final margin of 113-92.

Leading the way for the Clippers in the win were co-captains Blake Griffin and Chris Paul, who each had 22 points to lead the way for the Clippers, who improved to 8-5 on the season.  Joining the two were Jamal Crawford, who had 21 points off the bench for the Clippers, while former Duke standout J.J. Redick added in 17 points to the effort. 

Teamwise, Los Angeles finished the game shooting 51.1% from the field, while winning the rebounding war by a 43-33 margin.  The Hornets were led in the loss by Cody Zeller off the bench with 17 points.

The Hornets hope to end this long 6-game losing skid tomorrow night as they look for some revenge against Damian Lillard and the Portland Trail Blazers for a 7:00 tip-off at Time Warner Cable Arena, before they break for Thanksgiving and returning to action on Friday night when they welcome in Charlotte native Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors to "The Hive" for a 7:00 p.m. start.

Hornets Extra: L.A. Clippers vs. Hornets

Los Angeles Clippers(7-5) vs. Charlotte Hornets(4-10)

Time Warner Cable Arena

Monday, 7:00 p.m.

Television: SportSouth

Radio: WFNZ-AM(610 The Fan)

Series history(since original Hornets first season in 1988-89): CHA leads series 24-23

The Charlotte Hornets begin a stretch of 3 home games in 5 days starting tonight, as they look to break their 5-game losing skid taking on the Los Angeles Clippers at Time Warner Cable Arena.  Charlotte is coming off another loss, this time at the hands of the Miami Heat last night in Miami 94-93, while the Clippers are coming off a loss of their own at the hands of the Memphis Grizzlies last night in Memphis by a 107-91 margin.

Scouting the Clippers

The Los Angeles Clippers have been starting to come into their own during the Steve Ballmer era, as they come into tonight's game with a 7-5 mark, and coming off a tough loss to the 12-2 Memphis Grizzlies last night in Memphis.  The big stars for the Clippers are of course, Blake Griffin and North Carolina native and former Wake Forest star Chris Paul, not to mention a supporting cast that makes up the "Lob City Mafia".  Whenever the Clippers come to town, you know a lot of dunks will be taking place each night, and the Clippers hope that CP3 and Blake Griffin can bounce back from last night's loss as they visit Charlotte to face the struggling Hornets.

Scouting the Hornets

The Charlotte Hornets are in a midst of a 5-game losing streak, with the latest coming last night against the Heat in Miami, as the Hornets learned yesterday that they will be without Michael Kidd-Gilchrist until December(foot).  Not only that, the Hornets find themselves sitting in last place in the Southeast Division with a 4-10 mark, amid blowing big leads and not finishing up the game.  Can the Hornets reverse that trend?  We'll have to watch and find out tonight, as the Hornets begin a stretch of 3 games in 5 days with a visit from the Los Angeles Clippers to Time Warner Cable Arena.

Next 4 games for the Hornets(Home games in Purple, Road games in Teal)

Wednesday: Portland Trail Blazers vs. Charlotte(7:00 p.m.)
Friday: Golden State Warriors vs. Charlotte(7:00 p.m.)
Saturday: Charlotte @ Atlanta Hawks*(7:30 p.m.)
December 3rd: Chicago Bulls vs. Charlotte(7:00 p.m.)
*-Southeast Division game

NOTES: All SportSouth telecasts begin with "Hornets Live" 30 minutes before tip-off; All Hornets games can be heard locally on flagship station WFNZ-AM(610 The Fan) and throughout the Carolinas on the Hornets Radio Network.

Hornets Extra: Heat 94, Hornets 93

93

94

Last night at AmericanAirlines Arena, the Charlotte Hornets placed themselves in prime position to win in a back-and-forth battle, but in the end, the Miami Heat would hang on to survive a frantic finish from the Hornets as they handed the Hornets their fifth straight loss with a 94-93 win.

The last few games have been somewhat of a story of some difficulty for Charlotte, losing big leads and not playing smart basketball as the team remains in last place in the Southeast Division with a 4-10 mark, and like the Carolina Panthers, both teams haven't been generating much excitement over the last few weeks, as either team hasn't gotten back in the win column.

Back to last night's game, Miami did went small and got the results they needed just like they did in Saturday's win in Orlando, with Luol Deng carrying the load with 26 points to lead the way for the Heat in the victory, while Chris Bosh and Mario Chalmers each had 20 points in the effort.

Charlotte was led in the loss by Al Jefferson, who had 22 points to go with 12 rebounds.  The Hornets are back at to begin a tough stretch of 3 home games in 5 days, which begins tonight at "The Hive" when they take on Blake Griffin, Chris Paul and the Los Angeles Clippers with tip-off scheduled after 7:00 p.m. at Time Warner Cable Arena.

Hornets Extra: Hornets @ Heat

Charlotte Hornets(4-9; 2-1 in Southeast Division play) vs. Miami Heat(7-6; 2-2 in Southeast Division play)

AmericanAirlines Arena, Miami

Sunday, 6:00 p.m.

Television: SportSouth

Radio: WFNZ-AM(610 The Fan)

Last meeting: Charlotte 96, Miami 89(November 5th at Charlotte)

Series history(since original Hornets first season in 1988-89): MIA leads series 53-34

The Charlotte Hornets are facing yet another back-to-back set, which begins on Sunday night in Miami as they square off against Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and the Miami Heat.  The last time these two teams met was a few weeks ago back in Charlotte, when the Hornets ended their long 0-for-LeBron drought with a 96-89 win on November 5th at "The Hive" behind Al Jefferson's 28 point/10 rebound performance.  The Hornets are currently on a 4-game losing skid, while Miami is coming off a 99-92 win over in-state rival Orlando on Saturday.

Scouting the Hornets

The Charlotte Hornets have been struggling to get back on track over the last couple of games, and their latest one came on Friday, as the Hornets saw their 23-point lead disappear in their 105-100 loss at the hands of the Orlando Magic back at Time Warner Cable Arena.  Now, the Hornets are facing another back-to-back set, which begins on Sunday night in Miami against the Heat, who they defeated back on November 5th at "The Hive" with a 96-89 win, before returning home for three home games in 5 days starting on Monday against the Los Angeles Clippers at Time Warner Cable Arena.  Charlotte hopes to end their long 4-game skid and to get back in the win column against a talented Miami team on Sunday in South Beach.

Scouting the Heat

The Miami Heat got back in the win column thanks to a 99-92 win over their in-state rivals, the Orlando Magic on Saturday night in Orlando, as they too are entering a back-to-back set with a visit from the struggling Charlotte Hornets on Sunday night.  Chris Bosh stole the show for the Heat on Saturday, as he finished with 32 points to lead Miami, while Dwyane Wade sat out the game with a left hamstring strain that could keep him out of the lineup for Sunday's game.  Miami is seeking some revenge after what the Hornets did to them in Charlotte, and they look for another strong outing from Bosh on Sunday.

Next 4 games for the Hornets(Home games in Purple, Road games in Teal)

Monday: L.A. Clippers vs. Charlotte(7:00 p.m.)

Wednesday: Portland Trail Blazers vs. Charlotte(7:00 p.m.)

Friday: Golden State Warriors vs. Charlotte(7:00 p.m.)

Next Saturday: Charlotte @ Atlanta Hawks*(7:30 p.m.)

*-Southeast Division game

NOTES: All SportSouth telecasts begin with "Hornets Live" 30 minutes before tip-off; All Hornets games can be heard locally on flagship station WFNZ-AM(610 The Fan) and throughout the Carolinas on the Hornets Radio Network.

Hornets Extra: Magic 105, Hornets 100

105

100

After building a 23-point lead through most of the game, the wheels would fall off for the Charlotte Hornets on Friday night, as the Orlando Magic would come from behind to defeat the 4-9 Hornets by a 105-100 margin at Time Warner Cable Arena.  With the loss, Charlotte has now lost 4 straight games.

Consider this one as a "Taking a page out of the Panthers notebook" game for the Hornets, they didn't close it out and gave the lead right back to Orlando, and the crowd of 18,126 wasn't pleased at all in the final quarter of play, as they saw their team slip up and mess up down the stretch, allowing the Magic to come back and get the win.

Evan Fournier led the way with 21 points for the Magic in the comeback win, while Charlotte was led in scoring by Al Jefferson and his 24 point performance.

Charlotte hopes to break this 4-game skid on Sunday night in Miami against the Heat for a 6:00 tip-off at AmericanAirlines Arena, before beginning a stretch of 3 home games in 5 days on Monday night with a visit from Blake Griffin, Chris Paul, and the L.A. Clippers for a 7:00 p.m. tip-off at "The Hive".

Hornets Extra: Magic vs. Hornets

Orlando Magic(5-8; 0-2 in Southeast Division play) vs. Charlotte Hornets(4-8; 2-0 in Southeast Division play)

Time Warner Cable Arena

Friday, 7:00 p.m.

Television: SportSouth

Radio: WFNZ-AM(610 The Fan)

Series history(since 1989-90 season): ORL leads series 47-38

The struggling Charlotte Hornets find themselves sitting in last place in the Southeast Division, as they enter Friday night's match-up with the Orlando Magic at "The Hive".  The Hornets are coming off a heartbreaking loss on Wednesday night in Indianapolis, losing to the Pacers on a buzzer-beater from Solomon Hill to give Indiana a 88-86 win over Charlotte, while the Magic is coming off a 114-90 loss at the hands of the Los Angeles Clippers last night at the Amway Center in Orlando.

Scouting the Magic

The Orlando Magic is entering this game after a tough go of it against Blake Griffin, Chris Paul, and the Los Angeles Clippers, as they defeated Orlando by 24 points in last night's game at the Amway Center.  One of the players to keep our eye on for the Magic in Friday's game at Charlotte are Vic Oladipo, and Nikola Vucevic, they can totally put on a show when they hit the floor for the Magic, and Jacque Vaughn hopes his team can bounce back and get a win on Friday night, when the Magic squares off against a struggling Hornets team that is searching for an identity in their struggles as well.

Scouting the Hornets

The Charlotte Hornets come into Friday's game in last place in the Southeast Division after a heartbreaking 88-86 loss on the road last night against the Indiana Pacers in Indianapolis. Charlotte's currently on a 3-game losing skid, as they are still without Gary Neal, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, and P.J. Hairston, but we don't know if either of those players will be available for Friday's game at "The Hive" as they welcome in the Orlando Magic to town.

Hornets to host "Classic Night" for Friday's game

Friday's game has been designated as the first of many "Classic Hornets Nights" this season, as the Hornets will have special in-game elements throughout the night, as well as looking back at some memorable moments from the team's original run in Charlotte(1988-2002).  Fans are encouraged to wear their vintage Hornets gear from that era to the game as part of the occasion, and a certain high-flying dunker will make his triumphant return to Charlotte as part of the Hornets "Classic Night" celebration, but we can't tell you who it is.  The only way to find out is to be there at "The Hive" for tomorrow's game. This comes off the heels of last season's "Buzz City Nights", which was wildly popular for both the fans and the organization during the run-up to the official return of the Hornets name to Charlotte.

Next 4 games for the Hornets(Home games in Purple, Road games in Teal)

Sunday: Charlotte @ Miami Heat*(6:00 p.m.)
Monday: L.A. Clippers vs. Charlotte(7:00 p.m.)
Wednesday: Portland Trail Blazers vs. Charlotte(7:00 p.m.)
Next Friday: Golden State Warriors vs. Charlotte(7:00 p.m.)
*-Southeast Division game

NOTES: All SportSouth telecasts begin with "Hornets Live" 30 minutes before tip-off; All Hornets games can be heard locally on flagship station WFNZ-AM (610 The Fan) and throughout the Carolinas on the Hornets Radio Network.

Hornets Extra: Pacers 88, Hornets 86

86

88

The Charlotte Hornets dropped their third straight game last night in Indianapolis, as the Pacers would spoil Lance Stephenson's homecoming to Bankers Life Fieldhouse with a buzzer-beater from Solomon Hill to give Indiana a 88-86 win over Charlotte.  The loss now drops Charlotte to 4-8 on the year, while Indiana improves its mark to 5-7.

Individually, the Pacers were led in scoring by Roy Hibbert, who had 18 point on just 7-of-14 shooting from the field to go with his 11 rebounds, while Luis Scola joined in on the act to finish things up with 15 points and Donald Sloan, along with Rodney Stuckey, each had 11 to round out the group of double-figure scorers for Indiana, who shot 44.9% from the field on the final statsheet, while out-rebounding the Hornets by a 51-41 margin, as the Pacers were without Paul George for last night's game, but still managed to pull out the win.

Over on the Hornets side of the statsheet, Al Jefferson got back into the double-digits column, after his streak was snapped on Monday night at home against Dallas, finishing with a game-high 28 points to lead not only Charlotte, but all game scorers, to go with 8 rebounds.  He was joined by Kemba Walker with 12, and Lance Stephenson rounded out the trio of double-figure scorers with 10 points on his return to Indy, as Charlotte would shoot an even 43% from the field in the loss.

Next up for the Hornets, a match-up with the Orlando Magic on Friday night at 7:00 p.m., as the Hornets will have their first of many "Classic Nights" at Time Warner Cable Arena to honor some of the memorable moments from the original Hornets era.

Hornets Extra: Hornets @ Pacers

Charlotte Hornets(4-7) vs. Indiana Pacers(4-7)

Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis

Wednesday, 7:00 p.m.

Television: SportSouth

Radio: WFNZ-AM(610 The Fan)

Series history(since original Hornets first season in 1988-89): IND leads series 57-35

It will be an emotional night for Lance Stephenson, as he and the Charlotte Hornets travel to Indianapolis on Wednesday night to take on a struggling Pacers team that enters the game with a 4-7 mark, just like the Hornets.  Charlotte is coming off a hard-fought loss to the Dallas Mavericks back on Monday night at Time Warner Cable Arena 107-80, while Indiana is coming off a 99-90 win over the Bulls back on Saturday night in Chicago.

Scouting the Hornets

The Charlotte Hornets are coming off a lackluster performance on Monday night as they were blown out a home by the always tough Dallas Mavericks 107-80, dropping Charlotte to 4-7 on the season.  Once again, the Hornets will be without Gary Neal, P.J. Hairston and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist for this match-up tonight, meaning that we could see another lineup adjustment, as the Hornets look to snap their brief 2-game skid tonight in Indianapolis as Lance Stephenson makes his return to Bankers Life Fieldhouse for the first time as a member of the Hornets.

Scouting the Pacers

Like the Hornets, the Pacers come in with a 4-7 mark into tonight's Eastern Conference match-up at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.  After an exciting season last year, the Pacers are struggling out of the gates this season, but they do have a group of talented players including Roy Hibbert and Paul George, that can make it tough for those playing the Pacers, and these two players will be in the spotlight tonight for Frank Vogel's squad, as they welcome in former teammate Lance Stephenson and the Charlotte Hornets to Indianapolis.

Next 4 games for the Hornets(Home games in Purple, Road games in Teal)

Friday: Orlando Magic vs. Charlotte*(7:00 p.m.)
Sunday: Charlotte @ Miami Heat*(6:00 p.m.)
Monday: L.A. Clippers vs. Charlotte(7:00 p.m.)
Next Wednesday: Portland Trail Blazers vs. Charlotte(7:00 p.m.)
*-Southeast Division game

NOTES: All SportSouth telecasts begin with "Hornets Live" 30 minutes before tip-off; All Hornets games can be heard locally on flagship station WFNZ-AM(610 The Fan) and throughout the Carolinas on the Hornets Radio Network.

Hornets Extra: Mavericks 107, Hornets 80

107

80

The Dallas Mavericks are a team that's known for one thing: building up big leads and taking teams out of the game early, as they entered last night's game at Time Warner Cable Arena as the top scoring team in the league, and they showed the 4-7 Charlotte Hornets why they're the best as they scored early and often en route to a 107-80 win over Charlotte.  The loss was a frustrating one for Charlotte, according to head coach Steve Clifford, whose team recently came off a rough 1-3 West Coast road trip.

"We just didn't have the fight and against teams like that you have to be on it." Clifford said. "We weren't there tonight."  Things did look promising for the Hornets as they led the game early 5-0, but the Mavericks utilized their "Fun and Gun" offense to run up the score to almost a 30-point lead, with a good chunk of it coming from their captain, Dirk Nowitzki, who had 13 points as one of Dallas' 6 leading scorers, while Monta Ellis, one of the key free agent signings for the Mavs, led the team with 18 points.  Chandler Parsons, another key addition to the roster this season for Dallas, added in 17 points, while Tyson Chandler scored 14, as the Mavericks single-handed won the game themselves, out-shooting Charlotte(51.2%), and out-rebounding the Hornets by a 50-35 margin.

The lone bright spot for the Hornets in the loss last night was Gerald Henderson, who had an 18 point performance, as the Hornets were without Gary Neal and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist.

Charlotte will hit the road on Wednesday night to take on the Indiana Pacers, as Lance Stephenson will make his first appearance at Bankers Life Fieldhouse as a member of the Hornets, for a 7:00 p.m. start, before they come back to "The Hive" on Friday night to square off against Vic Oladipo and the Orlando Magic.

Hornets Extra: Mavericks vs. Hornets

Dallas Mavericks(7-3) vs. Charlotte Hornets(4-6)

Time Warner Cable Arena

Monday, 7:00 p.m.

Television: SportSouth

Radio: WFNZ-AM(610 The Fan)

Series history(since original Hornets first season in 1988-89): DAL leads series 33-14

The 4-game West Coast road trip wasn't kind for the Charlotte Hornets, as they finished the trip with a 1-3 mark, and they're glad that they're finally back inside the home floor of Time Warner Cable Arena as they begin a stretch of playing 8 of their next 11 games at "The Hive" starting tonight as they welcome in the Dallas Mavericks to town.

Scouting the Mavericks

The Dallas Mavericks are often considered as one of the elite teams in the NBA today, starting with it's star player, Dirk Nowitzki.  He has been the catalyst of the Mavericks rise in the league for the last couple of seasons, and the team enters tonight on a 3-game winning streak, while they are currently in third place in the Southwest Division with a 7-3 mark.  The Mavs are out for the 4th straight win tonight, as they pay a visit to Charlotte to square off against a 4-6 Hornets team that's coming off a tough road trip out West last week.

Scouting the Hornets

The Charlotte Hornets are coming off their 4-game West Coast road trip with a 1-3 mark, with the lone win of the trip coming last Friday night in Phoenix against the Suns.  Michael Kidd-Gilchrist missed the previous 2 games during the road trip, but he is expected to return to the lineup for Charlotte when they take on the Dallas Mavericks tonight at "The Hive".  Charlotte has somewhat found a way to defeat the Mavericks at their own game, and they defeated the Mavs last season in Charlotte, and they did the same in 2012-13 at home, but can the Hornets make it 3 straight against the Mavs on their home floor?  The answer to that question will come tonight, when the Hornets begin a stretch of playing 8 of their next 11 games at "The Hive".

Next 4 games for the Hornets(Home games in Purple, Road games in Teal)

Wednesday: Charlotte @ Indiana Pacers(7:00 p.m.)
Friday: Orlando Magic vs. Charlotte*(7:00 p.m.)
Sunday: Charlotte @ Miami Heat*(6:00 p.m.)
Next Monday: L.A. Clippers vs. Charlotte(7:00 p.m.)
*-Southeast Division game

NOTES: All SportSouth telecasts begin with "Hornets Live" 30 minutes before tip-off; All Hornets games can be heard locally on flagship station WFNZ-AM(610 The Fan) and throughout the Carolinas on the Hornets Radio Network.

Hornets Extra: Warriors 112, Hornets 87

87

112

The Charlotte Hornets finished off their West Coast road trip on a disappointing note last night at Oracle Arena, as the Golden State Warriors demolished the Hornets by a 112-87 margin.  The Hornets record on the season is now at 4-6 on the year, as Charlotte finished the road trip with a 1-3 mark, while Golden State improved to 7-2.

Leading the way for the Warriors in the win was Klay Thompson, who scored 21 points in his 27 minutes of action on 7-of-13 shooting, while Warriors co-captain Stephen Curry joined him with 19 points on 8-of-15 shooting.  Not to be outdone for Golden State was Harrison Barnes with 17 points and Andrew Bogut, along with Marreese Speights added 13 points each.

Charlotte was led in the loss by Al Jefferson and his 19 points.  The Hornets are finally back home tomorrow night as they take on Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks for a 7:00 p.m. start at Time Warner Cable Arena.

Hornets Extra: Hornets @ Warriors

Charlotte Hornets(4-5) vs. Golden State Warriors(6-2)

Oracle Arena, Oakland

Saturday, 10:30 p.m.

Television: SportSouth

Radio: WFNZ-AM(610 The Fan)

Series history(since original Hornets first season in 1988-89): CHA leads series 27-21

The finale of the 4-game West Coast road trip for the Charlotte Hornets wraps up tonight in Oakland, as they take on Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors.  Last time out, the Hornets came back to defeat the Phoenix Suns by a 103-95 margin last night for it's first win on the West Coast trip, and their first road win of the season, and they did it without Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, who was out last night, and he'll be out again tonight, while the Warriors on the other hand, are coming off a 107-99 win over Brooklyn on Thursday night.

Scouting the Hornets

With Michael Kidd-Gilchrist out of the lineup, the Charlotte Hornets battled back to come away victorious in last night's 103-95 win over the Suns in Phoenix, behind a 19 point performance from Kemba Walker for Charlotte in the win, it's first on the 4-game West Coast swing and its first road win on the year.

The Hornets hope to break even tonight as they visit Oakland to take on Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and the rest of the Golden State Warriors in the finale of the Western swing, before the Hornets head back home to "The Hive" on Monday night against Dirk Nowitzki and the always tough Dallas Mavericks.

Scouting the Warriors

In his first year at the helm as Golden State Warriors head coach, Steve Kerr has his team playing exceptionally well, and that example came in Thursday's 107-99 win over the Brooklyn Nets behind Klay Thompson's 25 point performance to lead the Warriors in the win.  Golden State is in a midst of a 3-game homestand at Oracle Arena, which wraps up tonight with a visit from the Charlotte Hornets, who are coming off a win of their own last night in Phoenix.

Next 4 games for the Hornets(Home games in Purple, Road games in Teal)

Monday: Dallas Mavericks vs. Charlotte(7:00 p.m.)
Wednesday: Charlotte @ Indiana Pacers(7:00 p.m.)
Friday: Orlando Magic vs. Charlotte*(7:00 p.m.)
Next Sunday: Charlotte @ Miami Heat*(6:00 p.m.)
*-Southeast Division game

NOTES: All SportSouth telecasts begin with "Hornets Live" 30 minutes before tip-off; All Hornets games can be heard locally on flagship station WFNZ-AM(610 The Fan) and throughout the Carolinas on the Hornets Radio Network.

Hornets Extra: Hornets 103, Suns 95

103

95

In the first few road games this season for the Charlotte Hornets, their main concern was finishing up at the end, and in last night's game at the US Airways Center in Phoenix, the Hornets did just that, as they came from behind and defeated the Suns 103-95 to notch their first road win of the 2014-15 campaign, while improving to 4-5 overall, while the Suns brief 2-game losing streak came to a halt, as they fall to 5-4.

"We finished it in the end. We had chances in New York, obviously we're ahead in L.A. at the half, ahead with seven minutes left in Portland, but tonight we did a good job of finishing up at the end." said Hornets head coach Steve Clifford.

Leading the way for the Hornets in last night's win was Kemba Walker, who was nothing short of remarkable in the win for Charlotte, as he scored 19 points on 8-of-16 shooting from the field, while Gary Neal and Al Jefferson each added in 14 to the cause.  Lance Stephenson again reached double figures for Charlotte with 13 points, and the biggest surprise in the win for the Hornets was Bismack Biyombo coming out of Nowhere to notch his first double-double since November 1, 2013 against Cleveland, scoring 11 points to go with 10 rebounds off the bench for the Hornets.  As a team, Charlotte finished the night shooting 42.9% from the field, despite Phoenix's 43% in the field goal percentage department, but the Hornets did out-rebound the Suns by a 45-46 margin, and out-shot the Suns from three-point range(43.8%).

Phoenix was led in the loss by Eric Bledsoe with a game-high 22 points on 8-of-17 shooting to go along with his 11 rebounds.

The Hornets hope to break even on their 4-game West Coast road trip in the finale tonight in Oakland as they square off against Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and the Golden State Warriors at Oracle Arena for a 10:30 p.m. start, before Charlotte returns home to Time Warner Cable Arena on Monday to face Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks for a 7:00 p.m. tip-off at "The Hive".