Nets vs. Hornets preview: Last game of March

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 11: Kon Knueppel #7 of the Charlotte Hornets points to teammates during their game against the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center on March 11, 2026 in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) | Getty Images

One step closer to the end of the season. The Brooklyn Nets hosted the Sacramento Kings on Sunday night. The Nets jumped ahead early and never let go as they won 116-99. The W snapped their ten game losing streak.

The opponent tonight has been one of the bigger stories of the NBA season. The Charlotte Hornets have gone on a big run over the past few months and at the very least, will be in the Play-In Tournament. Their chances of making the top six took a hit on Sunday when they lost to the Boston Celtics. Charlotte sits in tenth in the Eastern Conference standings.

Where to follow the game

YES Network on TV. WFAN on radio. Gotham Sports on streaming. Tip after 7:30 p.m. ET. Remember, as often happens this time of year, YES has moved the game to Channel 10/55, WLNY.

🤕 Injuries

The following are out:

Jalen Wilson is probable (illness.)

All clear for the Hornets.

🏀 The game

Charlotte won the first meeting in October and Brooklyn won the second in December.

The Hornets are 0.5 games out of the eighth seed. It’s important for them to get there as it gives them a bit more flexibility to make the playoffs instead of having to go 2-0 if they fall in the 9/10 seed. For a group that hasn’t played many high stakes NBA games, this final stretch of the regular season will say a lot about the progress they’ve made.

The Hornets haven’t won a playoff series since 2002. To give some perspective, the last time they made the second round, it was the final year of NBC’s first run with the NBA. Shouts to Baron Davis and the late Elden Campbell.

LaMelo Ball has a lot of responsibilities on his shoulders, and the young fella is doing his best to manage it. He’s had some high-profile issues off the court, but it seemingly hasn’t impacted him on the court. Ball has put forth a good season and has cut his turnovers down some from last season. Decision making is a critical part of any point guard’s duties, and with Ball having the ball as much as he does, it takes on more importance. The shooting percentages may never be where we want it, but if it works for him, it works for him I suppose.

For Nolan Traore, he’ll try to push the issue and speed Ball up. Nolan has made the most of his starters’ minutes and will be starting from here on out.

This final stretch of the season should hopefully give Noah Clowney the confidence boost needed to go into the off-season. Clowney scored in double figures for the first time in a few weeks on Sunday and in postgame, mentioned that he’s feeling more comfortable now that his wrist injury is resolved. When you play with force and presence, good things happen.

This one might get sloppy. Both teams are in the bottom four of turnover rate on the season and turnovers beget easy fastbreak opportunities. Whoever maintains their composure and discipline the most will win this one.

👀 Player to watch: Kon Knueppel

Even if he doesn’t win Rookie of the Year, it’s been a magical rookie season for Knueppel. He’s been a critical part of Charlotte’s resurgence and is shaping up to be one of the team’s key players going forward. Over at the mothership, James Dator wrote about Knueppel:

The 3-point shooting is a mammoth part of Knueppel’s resume, because he broke the single-season record for threes made by a rookie and did in 59 games. At this point it’s his record to stretch until the end. The trap is to assume that the shooting is all there is to Knueppel’s game, which is painfully far from the truth. Not only is he putting up elite numbers, but he’s dramatically helping the Hornets win games.

Among the records he’s set are fastest in NBA history to 100 3-pointers, 200 3-pointers and most recently, 250 3-pointers. (Egor Demin is second fastest in NBA history 100 3-pointers.) Knueppel is in a bit of a min-slump. In the last two games, he’s scored 24 points on 8-of-27 shooting overall and 4-of-16 from deep. That’s 29.6% and 25.0%.

Still, he’s impressed observers around the NBA this year and will be someone to keep a close eye on down the stretch.

Tonight’s a big night for a North Carolina native. Drake Powell will be starting and should get a healthy amount of playing time against his hometown team. The Carolina native and UNC alum had a good outing on Sunday against the Kings and has earned more minutes as we wind down the season. Powell’s ability to drive and get downhill is much needed for a shorthanded Nets team that’s trying to find the right combination going forward. Every minute for him matters and if he can make the most out of it, it’ll set him up for an exciting future.

📺 From the Vault

Duke having their hearts ripped out by Connecticut on the biggest stage possible? Sounds familiar!

More reading: At the Hive, SB Nation NBA, New York Post, New York Daily News, Clutch Points, Nets Wire, Steve’s Newsletter

Nets vs. Hornets preview: Last game of March

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