On Saturday afternoon, the LA Clippers face off against the Charlotte Hornets in a game they absolutely cannot afford to lose. Both the Clippers and Hornets have a very pathetic record of 4-11 and are on losing streaks, but fortunately, only one of them can win on Saturday.

Unfortunately for the Clippers, they'll remain very shorthanded as they face off against the Hornets. 

Clippers Injury Report

The LA Clippers have four players listed on their injury report: Kawhi Leonard, Bradley Beal, Derrick Jones Jr., and Jordan Miller.

Kawhi Leonard is out due to a right ankle and foot sprain, Bradley Beal is out due to a left hip fracture, Derrick Jones Jr. is out due to a right knee sprain, and Jordan Miller is out due to left hamstring injury management. To make matters worse, aside from Jordan Miller, all three starters listed for the Clippers will miss significant time with their injuries.

As it stands, the Clippers have lost 9 out of their last 10 games, and the moment to finally win is now.

Charlotte Hornets Injury Report

The Charlotte Hornets have five players listed on their injury report: Josh Green, Sion James, Tre Mann, Tidjane Salaun, and Grant Williams.

Josh Green is out due to left shoulder surgery, Sion James is probable with left groin soreness, Tre Mann is questionable with left ankle soreness, Tidjane Salaun is out due to a G League assignment, and Grant Williams is out due to right knee surgery.

On the positive for the Hornets, their promising young forward Brandon Miller will be making a return against the Clippers.

Clippers vs Hornets Matchup

The big matchup to watch going into the night will be James Harden vs LaMelo Ball. With how bad both teams are, it's a pretty easy prediction to say that whoever wins that matchup has a high chance of winning the game.

Granted, the Clippers have more depth on paper, but their depth has failed them all season. They'll need at least two more solid contributors to win the game, but it's tough to see that happen. 

For the Hornets, they need to use their youth to punish the Clippers' horrible transition defense. The key to taking down the Clippers has been pushing the pace, and the Hornets have a team young enough to get that mission done.

The LA Clippers and Charlotte Hornets face off at 1:00 p.m. EST on Saturday.