The Hornets and Nets came into this game with very different vibes. In the Hornets’ first game of the season, they clawed back from a 17-point deficit in the second quarter to beat the Indiana Pacers 123-122 on Wednesday, October 20th—the first night of the 2021-22 season with a full slate of games, affectionately known as “League Pass Opening Night.” The comeback was fueled in large part, by a LaMelo Ball-led third-quarter surge, quickly putting any sophomore slump fears to bed. They followed that up with a 123-112 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers, a game in which Miles Bridges scored 30 points and grabbed seven rebounds and Kelly Oubre scored 25 points off the bench. On the other hand, the Nets suffered a near wire-to-wire defeat to the defending champion Milwaukee Bucks, immediately after watching them receive their championship rings. The Nets, of course, have been mired in vaccine drama because of Kyrie Irving and although they remain the overwhelming favorite to win the title, Kyrie’s absence has been deeply felt during their first two games.