NBA Game Preview - Charlotte at LA Lakers

Sun Oct 27, 2019 9:30 PM EDT

The Charlotte Hornets begin a four-game road trip against the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday at Staples Center.

The Minnesota Timberwolves pounded the Hornets 121-99 on Friday. The blowout followed a 126-125 victory by the Hornets over the Chicago Bulls in their season-opener Wednesday. Rookie P.J. Washington, the 12th pick of the NBA draft out of Kentucky, led Charlotte with 27 points on 7-of-11 3-pointers against Chicago.

Reserve guard Devonte' Graham played well in both contests, scoring 24 points in the loss and finishing with 23 points and eight assists in the win. Graham converted 12 of 16 3-pointers in the two games.

Charlotte built a 15-point first-quarter lead but Minnesota rallied before rolling in the second half.

"When you get a start like that you just got to understand in the NBA things can happen like that and you can't be too satisfied," said guard Terry Rozier, who had 11 points and 10 assists. Rozier signed with the Hornets as a free agent during the offseason after spending the past four seasons with the Boston Celtics.

"Just feel like we have to learn from it. We had a great start. Wish we could start like that before every game," he added.

The Hornets will be without forward Nicolas Batum for three to four weeks after he sustained a fractured left middle finger against the Bulls. With Batum out, Hornets coach James Borrego is considering pairing Rozier and Graham in the starting backcourt.

"We can play them together," Borrego said, according to the Charlotte Observer. "We can play Terry off the ball with (Graham) out there. We'll look at that lineup."

Charlotte center Cody Zeller, who missed Friday's loss due to personal reasons, is expected to return against the Lakers.

Los Angeles earned a 95-86 decision in its home opener Friday night against the Utah Jazz behind 32 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds from LeBron James. Anthony Davis added 21 points, seven boards and five blocks for the Lakers, who bounced back from a 112-102 season-opening defeat Tuesday by the Los Angeles Clippers.

James used his aggressiveness to help the Lakers beat the Jazz.

"I felt like I was trying to read the defense a little bit too much instead of being my normal self, just trying to play a read-and-react game instead of overthinking," James said, according to the Orange County Register. "Once I saw the game kind of slowing down, I felt like it was a need for our team to get in the paint a little bit more."

A better effort on defense also contributed.

"We are the real deal defensively," Davis told the Register. "We try to lay our hats on defense. We want to be a defensive-oriented team, and guys came in and were pesky (Friday)."

It isn't known whether point guard Rajon Rondo (sore calf) or forward Kyle Kuzma (stress reaction, left foot), both of whom missed the opening two games, will play against the Hornets.

The Lakers' game will be the first of back-to-back contests for Charlotte. The Hornets face the Clippers on Monday at Staples before capping the trip at the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday and the Golden State Warriors on Saturday.

--Field Level Media