A change worked for the Phoenix Suns already this week.

The Charlotte Hornets could use revisions on the trajectory of their season as well.

The teams meet Tuesday night in Charlotte, N.C.

The Suns altered their starting lineup and ended a four-game losing streak with a 109-99 victory at Philadelphia on Monday. Phoenix coach Mike Budenholzer pulled Bradley Beal and Jusuf Nurkic from the starting lineup.

“I just feel like we needed to make a change,” Budenholzer said. “You got to figure out your best combinations.”

Yet Beal still figured prominently, scoring a game-high 25 points in 30 minutes off the bench. Nurkic had five points and seven rebounds in 14 minutes.

“He has been a pro,” Budenholzer said of Beal. “He was there for us (Monday night) in a big way.”

Inserted into starting roles were Ryan Dunn and Mason Plumlee. Dunn, making his 14th career start, provided 15 points, while Plumlee had two points and seven boards in 13 minutes.

“We’re focused on what we need to do each day,” Budenholzer said. “Continue to evaluate, but I wouldn’t turn this into a day-to-day type thing. … Trying to figure out how to help our team.”

The Hornets are mired in a 10-game losing streak, though perhaps the return of top scorers LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller after more than a week out of the lineup will help. They each poured in 24 points in a 115-105 loss at Cleveland on Sunday night.

“It felt good to be back out there competing with my teammates,” Miller said. “Of course, we didn’t get the outcome we wanted, but we’re just going back to the crib and just trying to protect the home court.”

While Miller went 6-for-10 from 3-point range, Charlotte’s other starters were a combined 4-for-20 from beyond the arc.

With Ball and Miller back, Seth Curry didn’t play Sunday as he’s nursing a sore knee and was listed as probable to play. He had been in a starting role when members of the backcourt were on the injured list.

Charlotte has lost 18 of its past 19 games, so some sort of shift in approach might be worth exploring.

Hornets center Mark Williams took only seven shots against the Cavaliers. He played 28 minutes, so getting him more involved might be one of the objectives for Charlotte.

“Mark is in a great place right now with how he’s playing the game and dominating the paint,” coach Charles Lee said. “But just like everyone on our team, we want to continue to grow, and so eventually, the 3-ball will be part of his growth.”

Nick Smith Jr. gave Charlotte a boost off the bench with 18 points after a recent stint with the organization’s G League team.

“He took full advantage of his opportunity to play,” Lee said. “It’s a testament to Nick continuing to put in the work.”

Plumlee is familiar with Charlotte. The veteran, in his 12th season and with his seventh franchise, started 129 games in less than two full seasons with the Hornets.

The visit to Charlotte marks the end of the Suns’ three-game road trip. The teams will meet twice across a six-day period, playing again Sunday in Phoenix.

–Field Level Media