Charlotte Hornets vs Denver Nuggets Game Preview
The Hornets are at home on Saturday, hosting Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets. The Nuggets are rolling this season with a 38-18 record, good for best in the Western Conference and third-best in the NBA. The Hornets meanwhile are 15-42 on the season after six straight losses, tied for the worst record in the Eastern Conference.
The back-to-back MVP Jokic is on a tear again this season averaging a 24.8/11.3/10.1 triple-double. He should be right in the thick of the MVP race again, where he might become the first person to win three-straight since Larry Bird in 1984-86.
The Hornets are on the other end of the spectrum with their sights fully set on the future. Jalen McDaniels and Mason Plumlee were both traded to contenders at the deadline on Thursday, opening up minutes for younger players like Mark Williams, Kai Jones, and Bryce McGowens. Now that the Hornets are tied for third-worst record in the NBA, they are clearly in the thick of the race for the top overall pick in this summer's draft.
The last time these two teams met was in mid-December in Denver, where the Nuggets narrowly outlasted the Hornets 119-115.
What to Watch for:
The Nuggets are one of the most efficient offenses in the league, leading in both field goal and 3-pt percentage. The Hornets meanwhile are dead last in the league in the same two categories. If the Hornets youngsters are going the give the Nuggets a run for their money tonight, its going to be behind the power of smart defense, hustle stats, and making someone other than Jokic beat them. How Mark Williams handles the assignment should be interesting to watch.
PPG: 117.1 (DEN), 111.9 (CHA)
RPG: 42.6 (DEN), 45.0 (CHA)
APG: 25.1 (DEN), 28.8 (CHA)
FG%: 51.0% (DEN), 45.2% (CHA)
3FG%: 39.5% (DEN), 32.1% (CHA)
FT%: 74.8% (DEN), 74.9% (CHA)
2020-21 Team Leaders (Returners only):
Minutes: Nikola Jokic - 33.6 (DEN), Terry Rozier - 35.8 (CHA)
FG%: DeAndre Jordan - 76.1% (DEN), Mark Williams - 64.3% (CHA)
3FG%: Vlatko Cancar - 45.7% (DEN), LaMelo Ball - 36.1% (CHA)
PPG: Nikola Jokic - 24.8 (DEN), LaMelo Ball - 23.1 (CHA)
RPG: Nikola Jokic - 11.3 (DEN), LaMelo Ball - 6.0 (CHA)
APG: Nikola Jokic - 10.1 (DEN), LaMelo Ball - 8.0 (CHA)
SPG: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope - 1.4 (DEN), LaMelo Ball - 1.4 (CHA)
BPG: Aaron Gordon - 0.8 (DEN) , PJ Washington - 1.1 (CHA)
Stat key: PPG - points per game | RPG - rebounds per game | APG - assists per game | SPG - steals per game | BPG- blocks per game
Nuggets roster
PG: Jamal Murray (OUT), Bruce Brown, Ish Smith, Colin Gillespie (OUT)
SG: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Christian Braun, Peyton Watson
SF: Michael Porter Jr., Vlatko Cancar
PF: Aaron Gordon (DTD), Jeff Green, Zeke Nnaji
C: Nikola Jokic, Thomas Bryant (DTD), DeAndre Jordan
Head coach: Michael Malone
Hornets roster
PG: LaMelo Ball, Dennis Smith Jr. , Theo Maledon
SG: Terry Rozier, Kelly Oubre Jr. (OUT), Bryce McGowens,
SF: Gordon Hayward, Cody Martin, Svi Mykhailiuk
PF: P.J. Washington, JT Thor, Kai Jones
C: Mark Williams, Nick Richards
Head coach: Steve Clifford
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