The Charlotte Hornets are off to another bad start, but the way to improve in the standings is already staring them in the face.

Preview the Milwaukee Bucks' NBA matchup with Charlotte, including betting odds, tips, trends, and game information.

Outside of just operating in screening actions, fans can expect some vintage LaMelo Ball chicanery if he makes his return in Cream City on Friday.

BOTTOM LINE: Charlotte will attempt to stop its four-game road losing streak when the Hornets play Toronto. The Raptors are 7-2 in Eastern Conference games. Toronto ranks fourth in the Eastern Conference with 54.6 points per game in the paint led by RJ Barrett averaging 10.5.

Kon Knueppel returned to his hometown of Milwaukee on Friday and registered his best game as a professional to lead the Hornets in an overtime loss.

At 12-1 the Oklahoma City Thunder are off to the best start in franchise history. The OKC Thunder have needed to battle being short handed throughout this seaso

The Charlotte Hornets are 4-9 and showing no evidence of being a playoff team now or in the immediate future, despite having a young core of players that, on paper, looks like a potential nucleus of a future contender.

This season, Charlotte sits 14th in offensive rating. In the last four games without Ball, they have slid to 19th. The Hornets are used to missing Ball, and the offensive rating has struggled over the years without his shot creation for himself and for his teammates.

Norman Powell scored 25 points and the Miami Heat enjoyed a record-setting first quarter on the way to a 126-108 victory over the Charlotte Hornets in an NBA Cup game Friday night, giving coach Erik Spoelstra a win a day after his home burned down.

Charlotte Hornets rookie Kon Knueppel celebrated playing his first NBA game in his hometown of Milwaukee by hosting his new teammates for dinner.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo won’t play for the Milwaukee Bucks in Wednesday night’s game against the Charlotte Hornets as he deals with a knee issue. The Bucks announced Wednesday that the two-time league MVP wouldn’t be available because of left knee patellar tendinopathy.