Charlotte Hornets DVOA, Stats, & NBA Rankings

Charlotte Hornets center Mark Williams (foot) will miss the second leg of a back-to-back on Saturday against the New Orleans Pelicans. Williams is managing a tendon injury in his right foot, and the team doesn't want to overwork him. Veteran Taj Gibson will move to the starting lineup to fill in for Williams. Gibson was a double-double threat at the peak of his powers, but he has made minimal impact even in a starting role this season. In previous eight appearances as a starter, Gibson has averaged 3.1 points and 4.3 rebounds in 14.3 minutes.

Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges (back) will rejoin the action on Saturday against the New Orleans Pelicans. The 26-year-old is dealing with a back issue and didn't play on Friday against the Portland Trail Blazers. Bridges is enjoying a strong month, having notched 20-plus points in six of eight games. He is in a great position to add to the streak on Saturday, as New Orleans has the third-worst defensive rating in the league. Bridges will reclaim his starting position from Cody Martin (core), who is unavailable on Saturday. Josh Okogie will log fewer minutes due to Bridges' return.

Charlotte Hornets point guard LaMelo Ball (wrist) will play on Saturday against the New Orleans Pelicans. Ball missed the first leg of a back-to-back on Friday against the Portland Trail Blazers due to a wrist injury. However, he has been upgraded from probable to available ahead of Saturday's game. Ball's return sends Vasilije Micic back to the bench. Micic put up 12 points with three assists on Friday, but he generally struggles to make an impact as a member of the second unit.

Charlotte Hornets guard Seth Curry (ankle) will miss Friday's game against the Portland Trail Blazers. He has been downgraded from questionable to out as Curry nurses an ankle sprain. Although Curry has not played a significant role with the Hornets, the team will miss his three-point shooting, which could help open up the floor. Friday marks the beginning of a back-to-back for Charlotte, so Curry may miss multiple games in quick succession.

Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges (back) will not suit up on Friday against the Portland Trail Blazers. He has been ruled out for the game after being initially considered questionable. Bridges' exit from the lineup gives Cody Martin and Josh Okogie a chance to play expanded roles. Charlotte will also be without LaMelo Ball (wrist), leaving the team without two of its top three scorers. This will open up many additional scoring opportunities for the rest of the crew.