November 12, 2026 at 5:09 AM UTC
Pregame AnalysisHornets Bring Fresh Life, Thin Rotation to Phoenix
Charlotte's blowout win was encouraging, but injuries and road struggles point toward a Suns victory.
This page is the pregame analysis. The box score is the main page for the game, and the matchup history collects every meeting between these teams.
Charlotte arrives in Phoenix with its best result of the season. The Hornets snapped a six-game losing streak with a 124-112 win over Cleveland, building a 33-point lead without Brandon Miller or Kon Knueppel. Grayson Allen scored 27 and Naz Reid added 25, so the newcomers finally looked like the difference-makers Charlotte wanted. Reid had underperformed before that game, which makes the question here whether one big night was a turning point or an outlier.
The larger picture is harder. Charlotte is 4-7 with the league's worst offense, has lost three straight road games since opening night, and is shooting poorly. Miller is at 35.6% from the field and Coby White has been cold since returning. Knueppel is out about four weeks, Dennis Schröder is out, Moussa Diabaté is questionable, and Miller is expected to miss a couple more games. The Hornets will have to score again with a short-handed rotation, and this game opens a four-game road trip.
Charlotte does have a path. Its offense leans on roughly 44-45 threes per game, and Phoenix's perimeter defense can give up secondary kick-out looks. If Allen and Reid keep hitting from outside, the Hornets can stay close. The Suns are missing center Mark Williams with a shoulder injury, which thins their frontcourt, but they are in the middle of a seven-game homestand. Miles Bridges, a primary wing and rebounder for Phoenix, faces his former team for the first time since the trade, which adds a personal edge.
I expect Charlotte to compete for a stretch on the strength of its volume shooting. Over 48 minutes, though, the injuries and a poor road track record should matter more. Phoenix wins a fairly tight game at home, with Bridges' rebounding helping close it out.
Prediction: Suns 114, Hornets 106.