The Sacramento Kings will face the Charlotte Hornets on Monday with their eyes firmly set on putting an end to their current losing streak. The Kings, not having the post-All-Star break performance they had hoped for, enter this matchup after suffering two consecutive defeats—the latest against the New Orleans Pelicans in overtime last Thursday, followed by a blowout loss to the Golden State Warriors on Friday.
This puts them on a two-game losing skid, and the Kings are optimistic about breaking this streak, especially since they're facing one of the league's weakest teams, the Hornets.
For the Hornets, things aren’t promising as they will be missing several key players for the match-up. Most significantly, rookie Brandon Miller is out for the remainder of the season to repair a torn ligament in his right wrist. His absence creates a significant void in the Hornets' starting lineup, which has left the team struggling to find the right mix, particularly since Tre Mann will also miss the rest of the season due to back surgery.
Mark Williams, another notable player for Charlotte, has been ruled out for Monday's game due to injury management for foot issues. This absence marks the 31st game Williams has missed this season, signaling troubling patterns throughout his career. With Williams sidelined, it’s anticipated Jusuf Nurkic will see increased playing time. Williams has also had recent headlines surrounding his failed trade to the Los Angeles Lakers—an agreement was made to send him to Los Angeles, but the trade fell through after he failed his physical.
The Hornets are also going to miss Josh Okogie, DaQuan Jeffries, and Grant Williams for this matchup, compounding their challenges against the Kings.
On the other side, the Kings are entering this game fully healthy. They will look to capitalize on the makeshift roster of the Hornets and exploit weaknesses created by their injuries. If they can find their rhythm, they could very well build momentum with this game.
All eyes will be on the game, set to tip off at 10:00 p.m. EST, as fans hope to see the Kings return to form and the Hornets face yet another hurdle during what has been a challenging season.