Oct 30, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard Josh Green (10) drives past Toronto Raptors guard forward RJ Barrett (9) during the first half at the Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-Imagn Images Sam Sharpe-Imagn Images

The ESPN BPI gives no love to the Hornets versus the banged-up Raptors

Originally posted on Charlotte Hornets on SI
By Ian Black | Last updated Mar 28, 2025 3:05 PM ET

The Charlotte Hornets (18-54) begin a quick two-game road trip on Friday by heading up North to take on the Toronto Raptors (26-47). This will be the second of three meetings this season between the two squads, with the Hornets coming out victorious in the first matchup all the way back in October.

What the BPI says

According to the ESPN Basketball Power Index (BPI) matchup predictor, the Hornets have just a 22.4% chance of coming away with the victory this evening. Both teams have multiple key players out for the matchup, so the reserves will more heavily dictate the outcome of the matchup than usual.

Even still, a lineup with Immanuel Quickley, Scottie Barnes, and Jakob Poeltl matches up well with a LaMelo Ball-less lineup for the Hornets. The frontcourt duo of Miles Bridges and Mark Williams will need to shoulder a heavier load to remain competitive.

Charlotte's recent games

The Hornets are 4-10 so far in March coming into the matchup. Losers of their last three though, picking up a win against another team set to miss the playoffs would be an appreciated morale booster.

If the Hornets are going to crack the stout Toronto defense this evening, they will need to come up with a gameplan to outperform the 110.8 offensive rating produced in the month of March. Thankfully for them, the Raptors somehow sport a mere 108.9 offensive rating themselves over the same period of time.

Toronto's recent games

The Raptors have had quite the up-and-down month of March to this point. After winning six of seven games to start the month, the team then dropped four straight games. The Raptors enter this game winners of two straight since then, but victories over the Wizards and Nets are certainly nothing to write home about.

As alluded to earlier, the Raptors defense has been stellar as of late. With a 108.0 defensive rating in the month of March, not even the title-favorite Thunder have been able to keep up with Toronto’s efficiency. With the team ranking 30th and 29th respectively in field goal percentage and three-point percentage over the same time period though, the Raptors are certainly still vulnerable.