On paper, it was a clash of stars. In reality, it was a collision of two identity crises. While Luka and LeBron manufactured a win at Crypto.com Arena, the Hornets proved that being 'fun' is the most dangerous purgatory in the NBA.
The NBA marketing machine wants to sell us this mid-January double-header as a 'Play-In Preview.' But let's look at the numbers: this isn't a clash of titans; it's two desperate franchises trying to figure out if they're buyers, sellers, or just lost.
