The Charlotte Hornets host the Phoenix Suns at the Spectrum Center on Thursday, April 1, at 7:00 p.m. ET.
The Hornets are 40-36 and eighth in the East with a 19-19 home record, while the Suns are 43-24 and seventh in the West with an 18-19 road record.
The Hornets are coming off a convincing 117-86 OT win over the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday, while the Suns fell to a 115-111 loss against the Orlando Magic on Tuesday as well. The last meeting between these teams came on March 8, 2026, with the Suns picking up a 111-99 win at home. This is the second matchup between the teams and will be their final regular-season meeting this year.
The Hornets are led by LaMelo Ball, who’s averaging 19.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 7.1 assists this season, and is hoping to make his first NBA Playoffs appearance. Rookie Kon Knueppel is hoping to convince voters he’s the Rookie of the Year after averaging 18.8 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 3.4 assists this season, serving as the difference-maker who’s given the Hornets a chance at making their first Playoff appearance in eight years.
The Suns are led by Devin Booker, who’s averaging 25.8 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 6.0 assists this season, and is vying for an All-NBA spot. The second option next to Booker this season has been Dillon Brooks, who’s averaged 20.6 points and 3.7 rebounds, and recently made a return from injury. This is the best season of his NBA career, and he’ll hope to pick it up where he left off pre-injury.
Injury Report
Hornets
P.J. Hall: Out (ankle)
Suns
Mark Williams: Out (foot)
Amir Coffey: Out (ankle)
Haywood Highsmith: Out (knee)
Why The Hornets Have The Advantage
The Hornets’ hot streak to start 2026 from January onwards has been able to bring the franchise into the thick of the Playoff battle in the East. However, recent losses indicate that momentum has started to fizzle out, and the team is playing games on the merit of their skills. That’s concerning, given the Suns have already beaten this iteration of the Hornets last month, but the Hornets have key advantages they’ll hope to maximize and seal this win.
The Hornets and Suns are comparable teams as rebounders, although the Hornets do hold an advantage on the defensive glass with 33.4 defensive rebounds compared to the second-worst Suns with 30.1 per game. They’re also a slightly better shot-blocking team (4.5 BPG), proving that they could prevent the Suns’ production on the inside. The Hornets hold opponents to 46.7% shooting on the season, which is a top-10 mark in the NBA, so they’ll hope this defensive strength can upset the streaky shooters in Phoenix.
The Hornets are one of the best three-point shooting teams in the NBA this year. Coach Charles Lee has been trying to implement an aggressive shooting game plan for years, but this season, it has blossomed. They’re shooting 42.9 three-pointers per game (2nd) while converting at a 37.9% shoorting percentage (3rd). Even with the Suns’ aggressive defensive unit, it’ll be hard to keep the Hornets from catching fire given how integral outside shooting is to their winning ways.
Charlotte’s 118.3 offensive rating and 113.5 defensive rating over the season indicate they have what it takes to be a Playoff team, but unless they can beat teams like the Suns in high-stakes matchups, it won’t make a difference.
Why The Suns Have The Advantage
The Suns have a few slight advantages that they’ll hope to maximize heading into this game. One of their best skills this season has been generating offensive rebounds. ranking fourth in the NBA with 13.0 per game. The Hornets are comparable as rebounders but the Suns have more consistent rebounding output from their core players, while the Hornets are over-reliant on their center core of Moussa Diabate and Ryan Kalkbrenner splitting minutes and generating these rebounds.
Phoenix also has an incredibly active defensive unit to deploy, especially on the perimeter. The likes of Brooks, Grayson Allen, and Royce O’Neale are defensive specialists who can individually match up with key offensive weapons on the Hornets roster and restrict their production.
Despite the Hornets being one of the best three-point shooting teams in the NBA, the Suns are arguably one of the only teams in the NBA that can adversely affect them. The Suns are second-best in the NBA this season at restricting three-point makes, with opponents shooting 34.6% on threes this season against them. This doesn’t apply to their own shooting, as the Suns are 10th in the NBA on 36.3 3P% this season on 41.2 attempts per game (5th). It’s not as good as Charlotte’s, but it’s good enough to worry any defense.
The Hornets area turnover-prone team, committing 15.5 turnovers per game (25th in the NBA). While they have the offensive power to make that a non-factor on some nights, the Suns generate 9.7 steals per game (3rd in the NBA) and could make this a very costly outing for the Hornets. Phoenix is coming off a tough loss to the Magic, whose defense managed to stop Phoenix from winning out. The Hornets don’t share that same defensive consistency, so the Suns definitely can exploit this weakness into a win.
X-Factors
Brandon Miller is arguably one of the best players to have on a winning team. His archetype fits what a championship team needs perfectly, as he’s capable of leading the offense as a No. 1 option and just as easily transitioning into being a No. 2 or No. 3 option next to the other offensive stars in Charlotte. His high-level perimeter defense has been a welcome sight as Miller is proving he was worth the hype he had coming into the NBA after college.
Coby White might be one of the best additions we saw a winning team make in the winter, as the 26-year-old guard has effortlessly found a way to fit into the roster. He’s averaging 15.7 points since joining the franchise, adding a key scoring presence off the bench who can ensure the team’s offense is humming regardless of the personnel on the floor around him.
Jalen Green has proven he can be a high-level contributor on the Suns after spending the vast majority of the season injured. Green is averaging 18.0 points this season, with the 24-year-old guard in his first season with the Suns. He adds a dynamic scoring presence that the Suns need to supplement their offense around Booker.
Collin Gillespie has been one of the NBA’s breakout players, as the former NCAA Champion is averaging 13.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 4.8 assists as the Suns’ point guard this season. Gillespie has provided really strong two-way play, becoming one of the most efficient and productive guards in the NBA all season. He orchestrates the Suns’ offense perfectly, finding a way to highlight stars like Booker and Green while also making sure rotational players also remain engaged throughout a game.
Prediction
This is going to be an entertaining and potentially high-scoring affair between two teams who know how to score. The difference will come depending on which key players step up and which players shrink. The Hornets have looked shaky in recent games against top-tier opponents, but the Suns haven’t looked much better, going 3-7 over their last 10 games.
It seems like the Hornets will likely pick this win up on the strength of their momentum, playing at home, and consistent offensive production.
Prediction: Hornets 125, Suns 121
