Raptors vs Hornets Recap: NBA Jan. 12/23

In one game from a moderate NBA schedule on Thursday night, the Toronto Raptors, a team struggling to find some consistency, hosted the Charlotte Hornets. The two teams met earlier this week, with Toronto looking for their second straight win over Charlotte.

On Thursday, the Raptors won the game in a contest that was not close as time expired. They put up a double-digit margin of victory in the game, winning by 10 points. The final score was Charlotte 114, and Toronto 124 as the Hornets continue to endure a difficult season.

Hornets @ Raptors Thursday: Pascal Siakam scores 35

With the loss, the Hornets are now 11-32 overall on the season. This is a team that has still played most of its season without its best player, LaMelo Ball. However, he has been back for several games now and Charlotte’s fortunes have not really improved. He had 32 points in the game against Toronto but there was not quite enough of a supporting cast.

Charlotte continues to look like a “seller” as the NBA trade deadline approaches. If you were to pick a player that could be mentioned in a non-frivolous manner with a potential trade, then it would be Mason Plumlee. He’s not signed for next year, meaning that Charlotte can part with him without giving up more than just the balance of the season. Furthermore, he is 32 years old and would not form a nucleus for a team focused on the future. Plumlee is also a double-double machine for points and rebounds, meaning that any team that lacks a quality big or quality depth in the center/PF positions would be happy to add him on.

Toronto Raptors: Recent Form Alert

• Toronto Raptors were 13-18 (December 20th, 2022)
• Heading into this game they are 19-23
• Toronto is 6-5 in its last 11 games

Meanwhile, the Raptors improved to 19-23 with the 10-point victory. The top scorer in the game for either team was Pascal Siakam. He had an impressive 35 points in the contest and each Toronto starter was able to get to double digits. Toronto has now won three straight as it looks to try and improve on poor form over the last several weeks. However, each of its three recent wins came against struggling teams in games the Raptors hosted.

The Raptors will complete their home stand on Saturday when they host the Atlanta Hawks. A tougher stretch will follow with road games against New York, Milwaukee, and Minnesota.

Further reading: NBA Power Rankings