Hornets vs Celtics Injury Report: Is Brandon Miller Playing Back-to-Back Tonight in Charlotte?

The 13th-seeded Charlotte Hornets, despite valiant efforts fell short to the LA Clippers in a 118-130 duel. They did, however, manage to cut down the lead to only 6 points late in the game. But the Clippers emerged victorious. Next up for the Hornets? A showdown at the Spectrum Center against the league’s top dog, the Boston Celtics. Tip-off is at 7 PM. Charlotte’s rookie sensation, Brandon Miller, even impressed Clippers superstar Paul George with his performance.  The question remains, will Miller be healthy enough to suit up for this back-to-back game?

The Hornets’ injury report is out and it seems like most players are “out”.  To begin with, LaMelo Ball (right ankle). Mark Williams (lower back), Cody Martin (left ankle), Seth Curry (right ankle), and Aleksej Pokusevski (illness) have been listed as “out” for the matchup. So, who remains in the team to play? Well, rookie Brandon Miller will be suiting up along with Miles Bridges, Vasilije Micić, Tre Mann, Grant Williams, and Davis Bertans.

Meanwhile, the Boston Celtics are looking much healthier. As per ESPN, only JD Davidson (ankle) has been ruled “out” for the matchup with the Hornets. However, superstar Jaylen Brown (sprained left hand), Jaden Springer (knee), and Kristaps Porzingis (right hamstring injury management) will be assessed day-to-day and thus, have been listed as “questionable.”

Charlotte Hornets vs LA Clippers Match Player Stats

Miles Bridges led the way for Charlotte with a scorching 33 points, including a career-high 7 three-pointers. Brandon Miller chipped in with a solid 22 points, but it wasn’t enough to overcome an otherworldy performance from Clippers Paul George.

The Hornets came out firing, with a pick-and-roll connection leading to a dunk and a 3-pointer from Miller in the opening minutes. Miller even had a highlight-reel block on George on the defensive end. However, the Clippers closed the first quarter on a strong 18-5 run, powered by George’s hot shooting. He dropped 17 points in the 2nd quarter alone, knocking down 4 three-pointers.

Bridges and Miller did their best to keep Charlotte in the game. The two combined for 18 points in the 3rd quarter. In the 4th, a 10-2 Clippers run threatened to put the game away, but the Hornets still kept going strong. Davis Bertans caught fire from deep, with three 3-pointers. Grant Williams added a layup and a 3 of his own, bringing Charlotte within close distance at 6 points with 5 minutes remaining. Bridges and Bertans continued to hit 3-pointers, but the Clippers kept bouncing back and secured the victory with clutch free throws.

Brandon Miller’s idol, Paul George, had an insane game for the Clippers. He led his team in scoring with 41 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists. PG shot an incredible 14-for-21 from the field, including 8-for-12 from three-point range and a perfect 5-for-5 at the free-throw line. He even bagged the game’s final 2 points on free throws with 43.8 seconds remaining.

Ivica Zubac also came through for the Clippers, recording a double-double with 24 points, 12 rebounds, and 1 assist. Kawhi Leonard chipped in with 23 points, while Russell Westbrook and Norman Powell contributed 11 and 16 points off the bench, respectively, securing the dub for their team.

In a battle of mentor and mentee, maybe next time, Miller can turn the tables on his idol, PG. With a back-to-back game coming up against the Celtics, Miller will have a chance to use the lessons learned from facing his mentor to perform well against the Celtics.

Read More: Charlotte’s Brandon Miller Finally Shares Moment With “GOAT” Paul George, After Witnessing 41 Point Dismantling Of Hornets