CHARLOTTE, N.C. (CHARLOTTE SPORTS LIVE) — A busy sports weekend in the Queen City kicks off with the first home playoff game in Charlotte FC history.
There are home games Friday through Sunday uptown for each of the three major professional teams. Here is what’s at stake:
Charlotte FC
When: 7:30 p.m. Friday
Where: Bank of America Stadium
The Crown take on Orlando City for Game 2 of the first round of the MLS playoffs. FC trails 0-1 in the best-of-three series, meaning a loss will end its season.
As the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference, FC entered the playoffs on a three-match winning streak, but were shut down by 4-seed Orlando 2-0 in Game 1 Sunday. The team, which launched in 2019, has opened up the upper bowl of The Bank to allow for more fans to attend.
Charlotte is seeking its first win against Orlando this season, after going 0-1-1 against them in the regular season.
This is the first home playoff game for any Charlotte major professional team since the Hornets lost to the Heat in the first round of the 2016 NBA playoffs.
Charlotte Hornets
When: 7 p.m. Friday, 6 p.m. Saturday
Where: Spectrum Center
The Hornets welcome the reigning NBA champion Boston Celtics for back-to-back home games this weekend. Charlotte is 2-2 just a few weeks into season, and is coming off a win Wednesday against the Rockets.
Guard LaMelo Ball is leading the team with 28.5 points per game and 7 assists, while center Nick Richards is pulling down 11.8 rebounds and blocking 2.5 shots filling in for the injured Mark Williams.
Boston is off to a strong start, posting a 4-1 record, good for second place in the Eastern Conference. All-Star Jayson Tatum is currently fifth in the NBA in scoring at 30.2 points per game.
New head coach Charles Lee was an assistant on the Celtics’ championship team.
Last year, Charlotte went 1-2 against the Celtics, with the line win coming in overtime Nov. 20, when Miles Bridges hit a buzzer-beater at the Spectrum Center.
Carolina Panthers
When: 1 p.m. Sunday
Where: Bank of America Stadium
The Panthers (1-7) return home after a trip to the Rockies to face division rival New Orleans. Carolina is on a five-game losing streak, and already lost to the Saints 47-10 in the season-opener.
Bryce Young was named the starting quarterback again, but he will be without leading receiver Diontae Johnson, who was traded to the Ravens this week.
Meanwhile, New Orleans is desperate for a win, too. At 2-6, the Saints haven’t won since week two. Despite similar records, the Saints have a -21 point differential; however, the Panthers have a league-worst -147.