Charlotte won without three starters, a day after learning Kon Knueppel and Dennis Schröder face more time out. The result arrives as injuries to Knueppel and Brandon Miller test the team's plan for the season.

The Charlotte Hornets found a win when their roster could least afford another loss.

Charlotte did it shorthanded. Three starters sat: Brandon Miller with a hip strain, Knueppel with his hamstring and Moussa Diabate with a quadriceps injury.

The shooting finally turned. The Hornets entered the night making 28.8% of their 3-point attempts, second-worst in the league. By halftime, Charlotte had already connected on 12 shots from beyond the arc, with 24 attempts. It was their first win since Oct. 26. Cleveland fell to 5-6.

Knueppel’s hamstring has limited him to six minutes this season

Knueppel first hurt the same hamstring in the offseason. That injury kept him out of the entire preseason and Charlotte’s first eight games, according to ESPN.

His season debut came Wednesday against the Brooklyn Nets. He reinjured the hamstring while bringing the ball up the court with 6:21 left in the first quarter. He left soon after and has not played since. He sat out Friday’s game against the Boston Celtics, which was Charlotte’s sixth straight loss.

The team announced the diagnosis on Sunday. Schröder’s diagnosis came the same day. Losing him takes away the team’s top playmaker.

Charlotte’s plan rests on two players who are both injured

The stakes go beyond one stretch of games. Charlotte traded LaMelo Ball in the offseason and built around Knueppel and Miller. Both are now out.

Knueppel’s rookie season showed why. He averaged 18.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists. He shot 42.5% from 3-point range and led the NBA with 273 made 3-pointers.

He nearly took Rookie of the Year as well. His former Duke teammate Cooper Flagg won the award with 56 first-place votes and 412 points. Knueppel received the other 44 first-place votes and 386 points.

Without him, the Hornets have leaned on others to space the floor. Monday’s shooting suggests the rest of the roster can carry that load on some nights. The numbers coming into the game showed how rare such nights had been.

Miller’s status remains the key short-term question. His absence, along with Knueppel’s and Schröder’s, leaves Charlotte with very few healthy guards for the next stretch of the schedule.

That stretch starts away from home. The Hornets play at Phoenix on Nov. 12, at the LA Clippers on Nov. 15 and at the Los Angeles Lakers on Nov. 17.