The Los Angeles Clippers play host to the Charlotte Hornets at Staples Center on Monday.

The Hornets (1-2) surprised the basketball world when they got a win in their opener but they've regressed big time since. In fact, they've suffered double-digit losses in their two games since that victory and that's much more like the team we expected to see. Where they are really hurting is on the defensive end, allowing at least 120 points in all three fixtures this season. That's probably going to be an issue all year and this team simply doesn't have enough talent to compete with other NBA teams. With that said, they do have some good young pieces to build around. Players like P.J. Washington and DeVonte' Graham have shown flashes of brilliance this season and growth are really all this team can hope for this season in what's expected to be a long, rebuilding year.

The Clippers (2-1) looked like the best team in the league their first two games but a loss to the Phoenix Suns on Saturday was a bit baffling. That's a team that the Clippers expect to handle but the Suns simply outplayed them despite being shorthanded. The first two wins over the Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers were extremely impressive though and that Phoenix game looks like a blip on the radar. The thing that really makes the Clippers scary is the fact that they look like an elite defensive team and haven't even gotten anything from Paul George yet. The superstar forward is currently rehabbing a shoulder issue and he won't be back in uniform for about a month. It's truly frightening for the rest of the league that this already improved team is going to add another superstar defender and elite scorer to their already scary roster.

Los Angeles has dominated this series over recent years, winning nine of their last 10 games over Charlotte.