Written by: Jason Green

In a desperate bid to end their current losing streak, the struggling Charlotte Hornets will face off against the red-hot defending champions, the Denver Nuggets, in a highly anticipated game on Saturday, December 23rd, 2023 at 7:05 pm EST. The game will take place at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte.

The Nuggets carry the momentum of three consecutive victories and have emerged victorious in six out of their last seven games. They are currently on a two-game winning streak during their road trip and are tied with the Oklahoma City Thunder for the second spot in the Western Conference, just 2.5 games behind the leaders.

On the other hand, the Hornets find themselves in a downward spiral, having lost six consecutive games. Their recent form has been disappointing, with just one win in their last nine outings. As a result, they currently occupy the third-to-last spot in the Eastern Conference, a whopping 13.5 games behind the top position.

Unsurprisingly, the Hornets enter the upcoming game as significant underdogs, with a home point spread of +8.5 and a total score line set at 226.5.

In their most recent game, the Nuggets achieved a hard-fought 122-117 victory on the road against the Brooklyn Nets. In this win, they displayed superior shooting skills compared to their opponents, with a higher field goal percentage (51.7% to 48.3%), a better three-point field goal percentage (42.3% to 38.4%), and a superior free throw percentage (84% to 69.2%). Jamal Murray led the way with an impressive 32 points and nine assists, while Nikola Jokic contributed 31 points, 11 rebounds, and seven assists. The Nuggets covered the spread as 4.5-point favorites, and interestingly, they have covered in all six of their victories in the last seven games.

For the season, the Nuggets currently rank 14th in the league in terms of points per game (ppg), while defensively they rank fifth in opponents' ppg. Jokic has been a standout player, ranking second in the league in rebounding (12.4 rpg) and third in assists (9.3 apg). Notably, he has scored 31 points in each of the last two games, also contributing 26 rebounds and 13 assists during the same span. Murray has also been in good form, averaging 18.4 points per game lately, with at least 20 points in each of the last three games. Michael Porter Jr., with an average of 16.3 ppg and 7.8 rpg, scored 15 points in the previous game, although he struggled with his shot in the two games prior.

While the Nuggets have been enjoying success, the Hornets suffered a devastating loss in their most recent game against the Indiana Pacers, with a scoreline of 144-113. Charlotte struggled defensively, allowing the Pacers to shoot at an incredible 61.3% from the field and 46.2% from beyond the arc. The Hornets' shooting percentages were comparatively lower, with 47.4% from the field and 25.8% from three-point range. Terry Rozier performed admirably in the loss, contributing 25 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists, but struggled with his shooting, going 10-26 from the field and missing eight out of his 10 three-point attempts. Meanwhile, Brandon Miller provided support with 19 points. Unfortunately, the Hornets failed to cover the spread as 10.5-point underdogs, continuing their trend of not covering the spread in their last three games where they were double-digit underdogs.

The Hornets' struggles are reflected in their statistics, as they currently rank 25th in the league in ppg and 26th in opponents' ppg. LaMelo Ball, their star guard who has been sidelined with an ankle injury throughout this month, will also miss the upcoming game. In Ball's absence, Rozier has stepped up, averaging 23.2 ppg in the last two games, along with seven assists in each. Miles Bridges has also impressed, with an average of 19.6 ppg and a solid performance of 19 points in the team's most recent game.

As for their home record, the Hornets have struggled, with a 4-10 win ratio at home this season.

While traditionally it is advisable to be cautious when betting on teams playing their second game of a back-to-back on the road, the current form of the Hornets cannot be ignored. With blowout losses and defensive struggles in recent games, coupled with the absence of their key player, the odds are stacked against the Hornets. Conversely, the Nuggets have been dominant on their road trip, and even though they played last night in Brooklyn, they are favored to win and cover the spread in this non-conference clash.

The Nuggets' recent performances, their strong offensive and defensive capabilities, and the Hornets' ongoing struggles make it reasonable to believe that Denver will come out on top with a final score that covers the point spread.

In conclusion, the Charlotte Hornets face an uphill battle as they strive to reverse their losing streak against the Denver Nuggets, who enter the game as hot favorites. Only time will tell if the underdog Hornets can defy the odds and come out victorious, or if the Nuggets will continue their impressive winning streak.