The Los Angeles Clippers will have their sights set on securing a sixth win in seven games when they welcome the Charlotte Hornets to Intuit Dome on Monday.
Like their hosts, the away side have also put together a decent run of results of late, winning three of their last four matches ahead of the trip to Los Angeles.
Match preview
Following up on their 119-104 triumph over the Miami Heat, the Clippers secured consecutive away victories for the first time since February by defeating the Atlanta Hawks 121-98 at the State Farm Arena on Saturday.
Down by eight points after the opening half, Tyronn Lue's men produced arguably their best 12-minute display of the season to score 19 unreplied points and win the third quarter 35-8, putting themselves in the driving seat for the final stretch.
Continuing his hot streak, which has seen him record both the most points and assists of any player in the league over the last five games, James Harden led his side in scoring with 25 points alongside Kawhi Leonard, while Ivica Zubac chipped in with 18 points.
The Clippers have pulled away from the Sacramento Kings in ninth and are breathing down the necks of the Golden State Warriors and the Minnesota Timberwolves in sixth and seventh place respectively.
Next up is the challenge of an opposing outfit that have been beaten in 13 straight editions of this fixture since 2018, making it the NBA's second-longest active losing streak against the same opponent.
Monday's affair kicks off a run of four straight games in front of their fans for the hosts, after which daunting clashes against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Memphis Grizzlies and Oklahoma City Thunder await.
Recording their most points in a game this season, the Charlotte Hornets were on fire en route to emerging victorious from a thrilling 145-134 matchup against the San Antonio Spurs at the Frost Bank Center on Saturday.
An 81-point first-half display left Charles Lee's men in the ascendancy at the interval with a whopping 26-point buffer, and while they did take their foot off the gas a bit in the second half, it proved to be inconsequential in the grand scheme of things.
Tallying 27 points and 15 assists respectively, both of which were game highs in their respective categories, LaMelo Ball was the driving force for the Hornets with his 12th double-double of the campaign.
Bottom but one in the Eastern Conference standings, the Hornets have endured a largely disappointing campaign but look to be showing some sign of life as the regular season heads into its final knockings.
Monday's encounter is the first of six consecutive matches against teams currently vying for a playoff spot or having already guaranteed a place in the postseason, and the visitors are set to be extensively tested.
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Team News
Leading point-scorer Norman Powell is currently nursing a strained hamstring but is drawing increasingly closer to returning to action for the Los Angeles Clippers.
Seth Lundy (ankle) and Jordan Miller (hip) are also expected to miss out for the home side, but Leonard and Ben Simmons are back available after shaking off injury concerns to participate against the Hawks last time out.
Brandon Miller will not play any part for the Hornets again this term, having undergone surgery to repair a torn scapholunate ligament in his right wrist, while Grant Williams will also not feature for the remainder of the season due to an anterior cruciate ligament problem.
Josh Okogie (hamstring) and Tre Mann (back) are out of contention for the visitors here, although the former is not far off a comeback and will be re-evaluated soon.
Los Angeles Clippers possible starting five:
Harden, Dunn; Leonard, Batum; Zubac
Charlotte Hornets possible starting five:
Ball, Green; Jeffries, Bridges; Williams
We say: Clippers to win by 8+ points
Given their dominance of this fixture, anything less than a win for the Clippers would be deemed a gross underperformance.
We fully expect the home side to have little issue getting the job done when all is said and done.
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