Charlotte Hornets vs Philadelphia 76ers

The Charlotte Hornets are set to face the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday, October 25, 2025, at the Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with tip-off scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time. Both teams enter the game 1-0, having won their season openers. The Hornets defeated the Brooklyn Nets 136–117 with a balanced scoring attack that saw nine players reach double figures, while the 76ers narrowly edged the Boston Celtics 117–116, highlighted by an impressive 34-point debut from rookie VJ Edgecombe.

Charlotte enters the matchup with a fully healthy roster, giving coach Steve Clifford flexibility in rotations and lineups. Philadelphia, however, will be without Paul George due to a knee issue, Trendon Watford with a hamstring strain, and Jared McCain following thumb surgery. These absences force the Philadelphia 76ers to rely more heavily on Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and the emerging VJ Edgecombe to shoulder the offensive load and maintain competitive rotations.

Tactically, the Hornets plan to continue their high-tempo style, emphasizing ball movement, spacing, and perimeter shooting. They will look to exploit their balanced scoring and the shooting efficiency demonstrated in their opener, with players like LaMelo Ball orchestrating the offense and bridging inside-outside play. The 76ers, under coach Nick Nurse, will focus on leveraging their star power, running set plays for Embiid in the post while using Maxey and Edgecombe to create spacing and transition opportunities. Nurse is also expected to adjust defensively to counter Charlotte’s perimeter shooting.

The pre-game press has highlighted the 76ers as slight favorites, citing their home-court advantage and star talent, but also noting that the Hornets’ momentum from their opening win could make the game competitive. Analysts are emphasizing the impact of Philadelphia’s injuries, particularly on depth, and how effectively Charlotte can maintain shooting efficiency and capitalize on turnovers. There is speculation that if the Hornets control pace and keep the 76ers from running in transition, they could stay within striking distance deep into the fourth quarter.

Studio analysts are focusing on several key storylines. First is the matchup between Embiid and Charlotte’s bigs, which could dictate paint control and rebounding. Second is how effectively Philadelphia can integrate Edgecombe into the offense alongside its injured stars. Third is the Hornets’ ability to sustain shooting efficiency and balanced scoring without relying on one or two players to carry the load. The analysis suggests a game that could be decided by bench contributions, defensive execution, and which team better imposes its style in the closing minutes.