The East play-in race is tight, and this game sits right in the middle of it. The Hornets host the 76ers at Spectrum Center on Saturday, March 28, at 6:00 p.m. ET.
The Hornets are 39-34 and ninth in the East, while the 76ers are 40-33 and seventh. The Hornets are 19-17 at home, and the 76ers are 19-16 on the road.
The Hornets come in hot. They beat the Knicks 114-103 on Thursday for their fifth straight win. The 76ers also come in with momentum after a 157-137 win over the Bulls on Wednesday.
This season series is tied 1-1. The 76ers won 125-121 on Opening Night, and the Hornets answered with a 130-93 win on January 26.
Tyrese Maxey is at 29.0 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 6.7 assists while shooting 46.1% from the field and 37.3% from three. Joel Embiid has put up 26.9 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.0 assists.
For the Hornets, Brandon Miller is producing 20.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 3.5 assists while shooting 43.3% from the field and 38.8% from three. LaMelo Ball is at 19.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 7.1 assists.
Injury Report
Hornets
Tosan Evbuomwan: Out (G League two-way)
PJ Hall: Out (G League two-way)
Liam McNeeley: Out (G League on assignment)
Antonio Reeves: Out (G League two-way)
Tidjane Salaun: Out (left calf strain)
76ers
Johni Broome: Out (right knee surgery recovery)
Tyrese Maxey: Questionable (right finger tendon strain)
Kelly Oubre Jr.: Questionable (left elbow sprain)
Why The Hornets Have The Advantage
The first thing that stands out is the Hornets’ offense. They rank fifth in offensive efficiency. They also rank third in three-point percentage at 38.2%, and they are scoring 116.3 points per game. This is not a team winning with random hot nights only. The Hornets have had a strong offensive base for a while now, and it fits well against a 76ers defense that ranks 17th in defensive efficiency and 17th in opponent effective field goal percentage.
The spacing is a real problem for the 76ers in this matchup. The Hornets are making 16.3 threes per game, and their effective field goal percentage sits at 55.4%. They do not need to live in the paint to score. They can stretch the floor and make big defenders move. Against a 76ers team that gives up 54.5% opponent effective field goal percentage and 35.7% opponent three-point shooting, that can open the game fast.
The Hornets also are not a one-note jump-shooting team. They average 26.6 assists and 55.9 total rebounds per game, with a 30.4% offensive rebounding rate. So even when the first shot does not fall, they still can win extra possessions and keep pressure on the defense. That is important here because the 76ers are good at taking care of the ball, but they are not dominant on the defensive glass. If the Hornets extend possessions, they can wear down a shorter rotation.
Recent form points the same way. The Hornets have won five straight, and they have taken 12 of their last 15. This is not early-season noise anymore. They are playing with pace, confidence, and a clear identity, and that gives them a good setup at home against a team still waiting on Maxey’s status.
Why The 76ers Have The Advantage
The cleanest 76ers edge is ball security and transition pressure. They rank sixth in turnover percentage at 11.8%, seventh in fastbreak points at 17.0 per game, seventh in opponent turnovers per game at 15.6, and sixth in steals at 9.2 per game. That gives them a simple path in this matchup. If they protect the ball and then create live-ball mistakes on the other end, they can keep the Hornets from getting into their usual flow.
They also still do strong work inside. The 76ers score 50.1 points in the paint per game, rank 10th in offensive rebounding rate at 26.4%, and rank 11th in free throws attempted at 25.1 per game. That is useful against a Hornets defense that is solid overall but does not force turnovers, sitting 26th in opponent turnover percentage. If the 76ers can get into the paint and keep getting second chances, they do not need a perfect shooting night to stay efficient.
The 76ers also have the best star on the floor if Maxey plays, and even without him, they still have Embiid to slow the game down and create fouls. Team-wise, they are at 116.2 points per game and 17.0 fastbreak points per game, so they can score in more than one style. That is important on the road. They do not have to win only one kind of game.
There is also a simple road point here. The 76ers are 19-16 away from home. That is a real number for a team in this range of the standings. They are comfortable enough outside their own building, and the 157-point game against the Bulls showed they still have real offensive ceiling when the ball starts moving.
X-Factors
Kon Knueppel is a big swing player for the Hornets because he gives them one more clean scorer next to Ball and Miller. He is at 19.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.5 assists while shooting 48.9% from the field and 43.8% from three. That kind of spacing changes the whole floor. If Knueppel keeps making quick catch-and-shoot looks, the 76ers cannot load up too hard on the main creators.
Moussa Diabate is another important piece for the Hornets. He is putting up 8.2 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 1.9 assists while shooting 62.7% from the field. His role is simple. He has to run, rebound, and finish. Against a 76ers team that still likes to create extra chances around the rim, Diabate can shift the game with activity even without high usage.
Quentin Grimes is a real x-factor for the 76ers because he can help carry creation if Maxey is limited or out. He is at 13.9 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 3.4 assists. The Hornets have enough length on the wing, so Grimes matters because he can score without needing the offense to stop for him. If he attacks quickly off the catch and makes open threes, the 76ers look more balanced.
Kelly Oubre Jr. belongs here if he returns as expected. He is averaging 14.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.7 assists while shooting 46.3% from the field and 36.1% from three. The 76ers need his wing scoring and his ability to finish broken plays. If he is back and moving well, that gives them one more real athlete on the floor against a Hornets team that likes to play fast.
Prediction
I lean Hornets here. The team profile is stronger right now: fifth in offensive efficiency, third in three-point percentage, 11th in defensive efficiency, and five straight wins coming into the game. The 76ers still have enough talent to steal it, especially if Maxey plays, but the Hornets look cleaner as a group at this moment, and they are playing at home.
Prediction: Hornets 117, 76ers 113
