Mavericks Look to Rebound at Home Against Struggling Hornets

The Dallas Mavericks return home Thursday night hoping to snap a two-game losing streak as they take on a Charlotte Hornets team that has struggled mightily on the road.

Dallas is coming off an emotional 107-99 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, where former franchise star Luka Doncic recorded a triple-double against his old team. The loss marked the Mavericks’ second consecutive defeat after a 126-102 blowout loss to the Golden State Warriors just two days earlier.

Meanwhile, the Hornets are limping into this matchup, having dropped four straight games. Their offense has been an issue all season, and with just one win so far on their nine-game road trip, Charlotte is desperate for a spark as they head into the final stretch of the season.

Mavericks Adjusting After Emotional Loss to Lakers

The Mavericks’ highly anticipated matchup with the Lakers was their first meeting against Luka Doncic since the blockbuster trade that sent him to Los Angeles three weeks ago. Doncic put up a triple-double, leading the Lakers to victory while Dallas struggled without their newest star, Anthony Davis, who remains sidelined with a groin injury.

Davis, who was included in the trade package that sent Doncic west, has been out since February 20 with a left adductor strain. The team announced he will be reevaluated in two weeks, leaving Dallas to navigate a difficult stretch without one of its biggest weapons.

Despite the loss, Kyrie Irving put on a strong performance, scoring 35 points to keep the Mavericks competitive. Klay Thompson added 22 points, but it wasn’t enough to overcome a Lakers team that found a way to close out the game.

Thompson acknowledged the team played hard but admitted there were some missed opportunities.

“I thought we fought hard. I think we could have been better with the fouling, (Austin) Reaves is great at getting to the line, so is Luka,” Thompson said. “But I thought we played a great game as far as effort and intensity. There’s a couple possessions I wish I could have back, instead of kicking out the three, you know we kind of take those layups, but tough trip on the west coast, but there’s a lot of positives to go back home with.”

Max Christie, another player involved in the Doncic trade, scored 10 points in the first half but was quiet after that.

Dallas will now look to reset at home against a Charlotte team that has been struggling to find any rhythm offensively.

Hornets Searching for Answers as Road Trip Nears End

The Hornets are wrapping up a grueling nine-game road trip and have little to show for it. After starting the trip with three consecutive losses, they picked up a 100-97 win over the Lakers on February 19 but have since lost four straight.

Their most recent defeat came in a brutal 128-92 loss to the Warriors, a game where Charlotte once again struggled to generate offense.

Head coach Charles Lee pointed to offensive execution as the main issue holding the team back.

“Offense again,” Lee said when asked about his team’s struggles. “Just trying to finish out some possessions, I thought the ball was moving, we had one too many turnovers. I think that they had 21 points off our turnovers in the first half. So again just a little bit of a hole dug, but I loved the continued fight and scrap from the team, standing up for themselves. You see that there is still more room for growth and the guys are still competing at a really high level, which I appreciate.”

KJ Simpson led the Hornets with 16 points against Golden State, while Seth Curry added 14. However, the team struggled without leading scorer LaMelo Ball, who was out with an ankle injury.

Ball is not listed on the injury report for Thursday’s game, which is a big boost for Charlotte. He has been their most dynamic playmaker all season, and his return could help provide the offensive spark the team has been missing.

What to Expect in Thursday’s Matchup

The Mavericks and Hornets have split their last 10 meetings, with Charlotte winning the most recent matchup 110-105 at home earlier this season. However, given their recent struggles, the Hornets will need a much-improved effort if they hope to take down Dallas on the road.

For the Mavericks, the focus will be on playing a more complete game. They have struggled with consistency over their last two outings, and without Davis, they will need big performances from Irving and Thompson to keep the offense flowing.

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For Charlotte, the key will be limiting turnovers and finding a way to generate consistent scoring. Their defense has held up at times, but without offensive production, they have been unable to keep games competitive.

With the Mavericks looking to bounce back and the Hornets desperate to end their losing streak, Thursday’s game should have plenty of urgency from both sides. Can Dallas take advantage of a struggling opponent, or will Charlotte find a way to pull off an upset?