With anticipation running high at Spectrum Center, the Charlotte Hornets prepared to face off against the Toronto Raptors on January 7, 2026, in a matchup that promised intrigue even before the first whistle. The game, set against a backdrop of injuries and roster shuffles, saw both teams navigating significant absences and strategic adjustments in their lineups. For the Hornets, the absence of Brandon Miller due to a left knee contusion loomed large, while the Raptors entered the contest without newly acquired center Mo Bamba, whose short stint with Toronto had already taken a dramatic turn.
As tipoff approached, the Hornets’ bench told a story of its own. Assistant coach Jermaine Bucknor was spotted courtside, joined by Brandon Miller and Miles Bridges. While Bridges was suited up and ready to go, Miller was in sweats, signaling his unavailability for the night. Coach Charles Lee addressed the situation candidly: “So Brandon’s obviously just been kind of managing his knee a little bit, going into a back-to-back. It was important for us as we continue to evaluate him and just see him on the court, to just try to give him an opportunity to have the most success to be available going forward.” Lee emphasized the team’s cautious approach with Miller, especially given a demanding schedule that included a back-to-back and an upcoming West Coast road trip.
The Hornets’ injury woes didn’t end there. Rookie center Ryan Kalkbrenner, who had started in all but one of his 26 appearances this season and was averaging 8.7 points and 6.4 rebounds, missed his eighth consecutive game while rehabbing a sprained left elbow. Lee provided an optimistic update: “Yeah, Ryan is going to be OK. He’s been making really good progress in all seriousness, and I think that he’s kind of come back to some of the team activities now. We’ll continue to evaluate him after every team activity he does and in on-court sessions, but I do think he’s trending in a good direction.”
Grant Williams, more than a year removed from tearing his right ACL, was also inching closer to a return. Although there was no definitive date for his comeback, Lee noted, “Grant’s obviously been out for an extended period of time with his injury now, has been able to be more involved in team activities and five-on-five play, and so far he’s responded really well. But when you’ve missed that much time from basketball, we want to make sure that we’re reintegrating him into game play at the appropriate time. And so we’ll kind of just continue to evaluate him as we go through this back-to-back and again the West Coast road trip coming up.”
With Miller sidelined, the Hornets’ starting five featured LaMelo Ball, Sion James, Kon Knueppel, Miles Bridges, and Moussa Diabate. The spotlight was on Ball to step up offensively—he had averaged just 15 points per night during the team’s recent three-game road trip. The pressure was palpable, with the team needing Ball’s creativity and scoring to offset Miller’s absence.
Kon Knueppel, meanwhile, continued to impress as a rookie sharpshooter. He had made multiple three-pointers in 13 consecutive games, including a standout performance against Oklahoma City where he knocked down five triples in a crucial win. That consistency from beyond the arc gave the Hornets a much-needed offensive boost and kept opposing defenses honest.
Miles Bridges was another key figure entering the matchup. He was coming off his second straight double-double, having tallied 17 points and 11 rebounds on January 5, and was averaging a robust 22.7 points and 10.3 rebounds over his last three games. His ability to dominate the glass and contribute offensively made him vital to the Hornets’ hopes, especially with the team shorthanded.
Coach Charles Lee, reflecting on the team’s resilience, praised their ability to adapt and compete against top-tier defensive teams. “The two things that are really impressive to me are first, our ability to play through physicality—[to] physically play through the physicality, but also just mentally coming into a game prepared, knowing you’re playing a top-rated defense that is going to touch you, they’re going to grab you, they’re going to hold you. Every call will not be made. So, don’t look for the refs to bail you out. We have to focus on what we can control, and that’s being able to play through that, having a better setup, setting better screens. That’s been the mindset and the focus of the group, which is really impressive. Then the second part is how much the ball is still continuing to move. Sometimes, when things are tough, there’s a tendency to ball-stop or stop moving the ball and moving people, and you just say, ‘I’m just going to do it myself,’ so that I don’t turn it over, or we don’t have to get to multiple actions. I think the group has done a phenomenal job of continuing to trust the pass, make the right rim reads, and play together and play unselfishly.”
On the other side, the Raptors were dealing with their own lineup drama. Mo Bamba, who had joined Toronto in a whirlwind move from Austin on December 26, 2025, played just four minutes in a narrow 107-106 win over the Orlando Magic before being waived on January 6. The Raptors’ decision to let Bamba go before January 10 was a strategic one—his contract would have become fully guaranteed had he remained on the roster past that date. By waiving him, the Raptors retained roster flexibility and left the door open to re-sign Bamba to a 10-day contract as soon as January 8. If re-signed, Bamba could be available for a string of upcoming games, providing much-needed center depth while Jakob Poeltl continued to recover from a back injury. Poeltl, who had missed seven straight games and nine of the last ten, was cleared for contact and expected to return soon, but the Raptors were clearly hedging their bets.
The Hornets, who had already beaten the Raptors twice in three meetings this season, entered the contest with confidence, fresh off a statement road win against the Oklahoma City Thunder. For Raptors fans, the hope was that the team’s depth and adaptability would carry them through a tricky two-game road swing, starting in Charlotte and followed by a tough matchup in Boston.
As the teams took the floor, both coaches and players knew the stakes were high—not just for the night’s result, but for the trajectory of their seasons. With key contributors on the mend and roster spots in flux, every possession mattered just a little more. The energy in the building was palpable, and fans on both sides could sense that the outcome would hinge on which team could best weather adversity and seize the moment.
With the action ongoing and both squads battling through adversity, the story of the Hornets and Raptors continues to unfold—one defined by resilience, strategic maneuvering, and the relentless pursuit of victory in the heart of the NBA season.