Hornets bring NBA's worst offense to 1-6 Nets

The Hornets (3-5), last in NBA offense and losers of four straight, visit the Nets (1-6) Wednesday, November 4, at 7:30 p.m. ET in a game that turns on Charlotte's 3-point volume.

Charlotte scores 99.8 points per 100 possessions, last in the league, and no team takes a bigger share of its shots from 3. The shots rarely fall: its effective field goal percentage of 48.1 is also last.

Brooklyn's defense invites the volume. Opponents post an effective field goal percentage of 55.1 against the Nets, 23rd in the league, so open looks should be there for a team that keeps firing. The Nets' own offense ranks 29th.

Rebounding decides the second fight. Charlotte grabs 32.1% of its own misses, third in the league, against a Brooklyn team that ranks fourth in defensive rebounding. Moussa Diabate drives that edge with 5.4 offensive rebounds a game.

Brooklyn gets to the free throw line at the fifth-best rate in the league, while Charlotte draws fewer free throws than anyone. That edge tilts toward the Nets.

Brandon Miller leads the Hornets at 23.5 points a game, though on 37.8% shooting. Julius Randle carries Brooklyn with 20.9 points, 7.7 rebounds and 4.9 assists, and Michael Porter Jr. adds 1.6 steals a game.

Kon Knueppel, who plays 31.4 minutes a game, is questionable for Charlotte, and Coby White is probable. Grant Williams is out until Monday, November 9, and PJ Hall is also out, along with two more Hornets.

Brooklyn's list is longer. Egor Demin, Drake Powell and Ben Saraf, each playing about 20 minutes or more a game, are out, and so are three more Nets.

Charlotte lost 124-91 to Detroit at home, and Brooklyn lost 125-124 at Boston. The Hornets won the first meeting, 110-103, on October 21.

Sportsbook prices give Charlotte a 59% chance to win; our projection, built from the players available, favors Brooklyn at 58%.