The Charlotte Hornets (4-9) visit the Toronto Raptors (8-5) tonight at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto.

Charlotte opened the season 2–1 with explosive offensive nights against the Brooklyn Nets and Washington Wizards, posting 136-plus in both wins. But their scoring has cooled significantly since, hovering around 110 or fewer on most nights. The absence of LaMelo Ball — who missed five games with an ankle injury and then sat out the second leg of a back-to-back on Saturday — has been a major factor.

Ball still leads the Hornets at 22.3 points per game, with Miles Bridges close behind at 22.1. Rookie Kon Knueppel has emerged as one of the bright spots during Ball’s absence, averaging 17.2 points and already producing two 30-point games this month. Together, Ball, Bridges, and Knueppel form a dangerous scoring trio — though Charlotte’s defensive issues remain a constant concern.

Toronto counters with an equally potent scoring core. Brandon Ingram, Scottie Barnes, and RJ Barrett are all averaging around 20 points per game, giving the Raptors one of the most balanced offenses in the East. Immanuel Quickley is their chief playmaker (6.2 assists per game), but not their only one. The Raptors’ ball movement has been elite, ranking third in the NBA at 30.2 assists per game.

But the catalyst of the Raptors’ turnaround after a 1-4 start is their defense. After a shaky defensive start, Toronto has tightened things up.

During their current three-game winning streak, they’ve held opponents to 113 points or fewer. They’ve won eight of their last nine overall, limiting every opponent in that stretch to between 97 and 113 points.

Center Jakob Poeltl has been a major driver of that improvement, providing rim protection while also delivering back-to-back 20-plus-point outings.

Prediction

Toronto is playing its best basketball of the early season, with elite ball movement, resurgent defense, and multiple scoring threats. Charlotte brings its own scoring punch with Ball back in the lineup, but their defense leaves much to be desired.

Prediction: Raptors 124, Hornets 112 

Injury Report

Charlotte Hornets

Brandon Miller — Out (Nov 22)

Liam McNeeley — Out (Nov 19)

Grant Williams — Out (Nov 23)

Josh Green — Out (Nov 23)

Toronto Raptors

Ochai Agbaji — Out (Nov 19)

How to Watch Hornets vs. Raptors

Tip-off for tonight’s Charlotte Hornets vs. Toronto Raptors game is set for 7:30 PM Eastern at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. 

The game airs locally on FanDuel Sports Network Southeast and Sportsnet.

Fans in the Charlotte broadcast market without a FanDuel Sports Network subscription can purchase one on Amazon here.

Out-of-market viewers can stream the matchup on NBA League Pass for free on Amazon Prime Video with a 7-day free trial here.

Amazon also offers a discounted subscription that starts at $12.74 for the first two months (then $16.99/month). The subscription also includes access to NBA TV.

Fans can also choose a Team Pass to follow one team’s games for $13.99 per month.

Charlotte Hornets vs. Toronto Raptors

Date: Monday, November 17, 2025

Time: 7:30 PM Eastern

Venue: Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, Ontario

TV: FanDuel Sports Network Southeast, Sportsnet

Streaming: NBA League Pass (out-of-market)