To no one's surprise, Coby White and Kon Knueppel do not feature in tonight's Charlotte Hornets starting five. Who steps up? See for yourself:
The Hornets first five:
G Dennis Schröder - There were flashes of Schröder's ability to attack the rim in preseason, but they were few and far between. He has to contribute more in that department tonight, considering the injury situation.
G Sion James - Sion takes Knueppel's spot in the first five, probably for his defensive qualities. His agility, nimbleness, and ability to communicate should help when defending the Nets' many handoffs.
F Brandon Miller - Miller missed the Hornets' preseason opener against Brooklyn, but he didn't look in much of a rhythm in the three games he did play. It's no secret that, with LaMelo Ball gone and a hefty extension on the books, he is expected to perform like a first option starting tonight.
F Naz Reid - Being the only returning player in the LaMelo Ball trade was always going to come with pressure, but Reid didn't do himself any favors with his poor preseason performances. That will all be quickly forgotten, though, if he can show out against Brooklyn.
C Moussa Diabaté - Diabaté missed the final preseason game against Memphis in what now seems to have been a simple precaution. Beforehand, he had played solidly but not as well as in the latter half of last season.
The Nets first five:
G Egor Dëmin - Egor Dëmin can shoot. He attempted 6.2 threes per game last year, hitting 38.5%. Dennis Schröder is feisty defensively, but he'll have his hands full if Dëmin catches fire early on.
G Keon Ellis - This is a bit of an X-factor for the Nets offensively. Ellis has been known to be borderline unplayable in his previous career stations because of his offensive limitations. He's a good defender, but if he starts hitting shots, it's bound to be a long night for whoever the Nets face.
F Michael Porter Jr. - If Dëmin can shoot, MPJ can SHOOT. The Hornets got a first-hand look at that about two weeks ago, when Porter Jr. went off for 16 points on 6/9 shooting in the first half. Fully containing him when he's zipping around handoffs is borderline impossible, but he at the very least shouldn't see any wide-open looks.
F Julius Randle - The Julius Randle - Naz Reid matchup gave us some interesting sequences in their preseason bout, and there will be plenty more in this one. As good a shot-maker as Randle is on some nights, he can also try to force the issue when he hasn't got it going.
C Day'Ron Sharpe - Day'Ron Sharpe is a mobile big who works well in Brooklyn's handoff-heavy offense. But he's also not much of an inside presence defensively, which hopefully bodes well for the Hornets' rim-attacking hopes.
To hear an in-depth preview for tonight's game, feel free to check out the corresponding episode on the Charlotte Hornets on SI YouTube (HERE) or Spotify (HERE) podcast channel.
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