Hornets @ Bulls

Who will WIN this matchup?

Charlotte Hornets (2-2)

@ Chicago Bulls (0-3)

Current odds:

Charlotte Hornets: (-210)

Chicago Bulls: (+175)

• The line for this game is Hornets by 5 points.

• The Charlotte Hornets have playoff aspirations this season but struggled in a big road test against one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference on Monday. The Hornets will try to bounce back and end a four-game road trip on a high note when they visit the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday in the first of a home-and-home set. Charlotte, which will host the Bulls on Friday, knocked off Orlando and Miami to begin the road trip but struggled to defend on Monday and allowed the Raptors to shoot 57.5 percent from the floor in a 127-106 setback.

• The Bulls aren’t especially stout on the defensive end while allowing an average of 122 points in three straight losses to begin the season. “Each and every year I’ve been with the Bulls we’ve gone through stretches where we couldn’t find our way,” forward Bobby Portis told the team’s website. “Obviously, for a young team it’s hard to find a win in this league. We can do a lot of things.”

• All-Star guard Kemba Walker was named the Eastern Conference Player of the Week after averaging 35.3 points in the first three games and was solid again with 26 points on 11-of-22 shooting on Monday but could not quite guide Charlotte to a win. Walker could use more help from the starting frontcourt after watching Marvin Williams and Cody Zeller combine for six points on 3-of-8 shooting in the loss to the Raptors. Reserve center Willy Hernangomez was the lone non-guard to score in double figures in the loss, recording 11 points on 4-of-6 shooting in 18 minutes.

• Guard Zach LaVine is averaging 32.2 points and was 11-of-15 from the floor in Monday’s 115-109 loss to Dallas but is attuned to the realities of the young roster. “We have to figure out how to win,” LaVine told reporters. “… We have a lot of talent, a lot of good dudes on this team. But we have to learn how to win and we haven’t done that yet. Once we figure it out, we can start talking about other goals and other things. But we have to be able to come back from a deficit and still get a win.” Point guard Kris Dunn suffered a sprained medial collateral ligament in his left knee during his season debut on Monday and will be sidelined four to six weeks.

• Bulls PF Jabari Parker is averaging 16 points after scoring a season-high 20 at Dallas on Monday.

• Charlotte SG Malik Monk scored in double figures in each of the first four games.

• Chicago took three of the four meetings last season.