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What: Charlotte Hornets (29-33) vs. Portland Trail Blazers (38-24)
When: 1:00 p.m. EST
Where: Spectrum Center; Charlotte, NC
How to watch: Fox Sports Southeast, NBA League Pass
The last time these two teams played was ugly. The Blazers outscored the Hornets by double figures in each of the first three quarters en route to a 31 point victory.
But that was in Portland. Today’s game is in Charlotte, and it’s at 10 a.m. Portland time. Now, the Trail Blazers have been out east for awhile, so the time difference might not matter, but this is still a potential let down game for the Blazers. It’s the sixth game of a seven game east coast-ish road trip. They are 4-1 on that road trip so far, but the last two games were a hard fought win over the Celtics and a close loss to the Raptors. They could be poised for a let down against a significantly weaker opponent with an early start time.
For their part, the Hornets have played somewhat well over the last few games, though their record doesn’t really reflect it. They played the Warriors and Rockets close then went into Brooklyn for a strong win. If they can maintain that level of play, they can win this game.