1-9! That is the record that the Charlotte Hornets currently hold against the Philadelphia 76ers. While the last 4 seasons have seen LaMelo Ball’s squad occupying the bottom-most seeds on the points chart, Joel Embiid & Co. has enjoyed relative success, and even secured the top seed on the Eastern Conference chart during the 2020-21 season.

However, the consistent injury troubles of Joel Embiid, Paul George, and others put the team at a disadvantage during the ongoing season. Not only do the 76ers currently occupy the 12^th seed due to their 7-16 win record, one more win is probably what the Charlotte Hornets (7-18) need to overtake them. Therefore, the upcoming matchup is an important one for both teams.

Unfortunately, the 76ers’ injury troubles will continue haunting the team.

According to the Philadelphia 76ers Injury Report, Joel Embiid’s right sinus fracture keeps him in the ‘OUT’ category. This means that the player is set to miss another matchup now. That too when he had just returned from a 7-game hiatus. To add to the unfortunate news, even Caleb Martin and Adam Bona currently hold the ‘OUT’ status.

Jared McCain, the renowned rookie who had played in all the 76ers’ 23 games till this point, will be ‘OUT’ of the upcoming game too. After an MRI revealed a lateral meniscus tear in his left knee, the team decided to keep the young star out.

The upcoming 76ers-Hornets game will be the 18^th matchup that Joel Embiid will miss this season! From troubles with his knee to his illness, ailments have plagued Philly’s big man throughout the last couple of weeks. Furthermore, his absence has deeply affected his team too, as they have gone on a 6-11 record without him.

Therefore, despite the win record they have established against the Charlotte Hornets, the odds for the 76ers, during the upcoming game, will take a hit in light of the Cameroonian’s absence. Caleb Martin is set to miss a 2^nd consecutive game as he continues to recover from his shoulder injury. Meanwhile, rookie Adam Bona will miss his 4^th one as his trouble with his left knee does not seem to be going away anytime soon.

Amid the 76ers’ poor record, McCain stood out as the one ray of hope. His average score of 15.3 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 2.6 assists, combined with his athleticism, had placed him as a top contender for the Rookie of the Year title. Therefore, getting ruled out indefinitely will not only affect his individual standing but also affect the 76ers as a whole.

Moving on to the Charlotte Hornets, one would find the injury status of their players to be better than the 76ers. After all, only 3 players are reported to be on the report, with 2 of them ‘OUT’. LaMelo Ball, who has missed the Hornets’ last 7 games, has had his status shifted from ‘OUT’ to ‘Questionable’. This does not guarantee his availability against the ‘City of Brotherly Love’. However, it hints at the player’s recovery from his left calf injury.

Meanwhile, Tre Mann’s trouble with his lower back soreness that was diagnosed as disc irritation will continue keeping him ‘OUT’. Same goes for Grant Williams too. After all, he recently underwent surgery to treat his right ACL and torn medial and lateral meniscus.

In light of these updates, both teams will have to make adjustments to their starting lineup.

What will the starting lineup and depth chart for the Hornets-76ers game look like?

According to reports, KJ Martin or Ricky Council can receive an increased playing time to cover for Caleb Martin. However, given Adam Bona’s position on the depth chart, his absence will not affect the 76ers that much. The team hasn’t ruled Jared McCain ‘OUT’ for the entire 2024-25 season yet. Despite this, he is still set to be sidelined for a significant period. Therefore, to cover for him, Reggie Jackson and Kyle Lowry can be provided increased minutes.

In light of these updates, the starting lineup for the Philadelphia 76ers is expected to look like this:

Furthermore, given the updates for the Charlotte Hornets, their starting lineup will look something like this:

The Charlotte Hornets or the Philadelphia 76ers? Who will you be rooting for during the upcoming game? Let us know in the comments section down below.