The Charlotte Hornets are set to host the Golden State Warriors on January 1st, 2026, at 2:00 AM Beijing time. Recent encounters heavily favour the Golden State Warriors, who have won eight of the last ten meetings. The Warriors have also secured victories twice on the Hornets' home court. For Charlotte, overcoming this disadvantage and replicating their past successes against the Warriors will be crucial. An interesting trend emerges from observing both teams' previous performances: while scoring has generally been low, with most games in the past year failing to reach or exceed a total score of 230, indicating strong defensive play, the Hornets have occasionally leveraged their home-court advantage and strong outside shooting to pose threats. For instance, in an October 2022 matchup, they secured a victory, capitalizing on efficient three-point shooting and tight defence to force the experienced defending team into errors. However, the Golden State team boasts greater squad depth, particularly with its core players exhibiting consistent performance, which troubles opponents. They hold a significant advantage in controlling rebounds and executing fast-break attacks. It's also noteworthy that, recently, whether playing away or at home, they've seemed to find ways to break down their opponents' defences, as evidenced by the nearly 20-point average margin in their last two encounters. This game will be a key indicator of how well the teams' off-season acquisitions and tactical adjustments are performing.