The Charlotte Hornets (41-36) are sitting a bit more comfortably at 8th in the Eastern Conference, following yesterday’s win over the Phoenix Suns. But there’s not much time to enjoy that feeling, since the next opponent is already in town.

It’s the overall lowly but recently hot Indiana Pacers (18-58), who have rattled off two huge wins over the Chicago Bulls and Miami Heat. Nevertheless, they’re still tanking, and the Hornets hopefully should be able to overcome them, even without Moussa Diabaté and Grant Williams, who were late scratches.

The first five for the Hornets

G LaMelo Ball – LaMelo had his 10th double-double of the year last night against Phoenix, stuffing the stat sheet with 15 points and 11 assists. He didn’t commit a single turnover.

G Kon Knueppel – After a few slightly underwhelming outings in a row, Knueppel reestablished his Rookie of the Year case against the Suns, with 20 points on 50% from the field.

G Brandon Miller – Miller has had two polar opposite performances versus the Pacers this year. In the first meeting, he put up a measly six points, before coming back with vengeance a couple of weeks later and burning Indiana with thirty-three.

F Miles Bridges – With Pascal Siakam available, tonight’s tasksheet just got a lot bigger for Miles Bridges. He’ll be the one who guards the Pacers’ star forward the most and should have his hands full with him.

C Ryan Kalkbrenner – In place of Moussa Diabaté, Kalkbrenner will see his first start since late February. He’ll have to put up with Jay Huff, who is a threat from deep and can stretch the floor.

The first five for the Pacers

G Quenton Jackson – At 27 years old, Jackson is almost a veteran and has quietly stacked a couple of NBA games here and there over the last couple of years. This season, he has played a bunch in the absence of Tyrese Haliburton.

G Ben Sheppard – Sheppard is a reliable but selective shooter, who will rarely hunt for his own looks and is connecting on 36.2% from deep so far.

F Kobe Brown – A piece of the Ivica Zubac trade, Kobe Brown came from the Clippers and has been a surprising spark of positivity ever since. The bulky forward, who was more of a big man in Los Angeles, can shoot a bit but will mostly make his money inside the arc.

F Pascal Siakam – Still one of the most underrated NBA players, Siakam was a huge part of why the Pacers reached the Finals last year. He’s a true three-level scorer, solid defender, and all-around winning player.

C Jay Huff – Springier than you might think at first glance, Jay Huff is a player made for exciting plays. He blocks a ton of shots and will get up for dunks on the offensive end. His three-point shot can be inconsistent, but he will get it up nonetheless.

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