7:10 pm
March 28

Nuggets @ Hornets

Who will WIN this matchup?

Denver Nuggets (44-31)

@ Charlotte Hornets (39-36)

 

Current odds:

Denver Nuggets: (-161)

Charlotte Hornets: (+135)

 

• The line for this game is Denver by 3.5 points.

• Maybe opponents are tiring of the Nikola Jokic show, but the Denver Nuggets could use some more from their star player. Jokic and the Nuggets are aiming for a steady finishing stretch to the season, and a good opportunity awaits when they play the Charlotte Hornets on Monday night in Charlotte, N.C.

• The Nuggets (44-31) have seemed slightly rattled at times recently, losing three of their past five games. The setbacks came to Cleveland, Boston and Phoenix, with the victories against the Los Angeles Clippers and Oklahoma City Thunder. Even though Jokic’s 35 points and 12 rebounds against Oklahoma City on Saturday night seemed almost routine, those types of contributions also are critical for the team.

• The Hornets (39-36) have cranked out key results the past couple of weeks, winning seven of their last eight games. That includes Sunday night’s 119-110 victory at Brooklyn, where considerable attention was on the Nets having Kyrie Irving available for a home game for the first time this season.

• Charlotte guard LaMelo Ball racked up 33 points Sunday, perhaps stealing some of the spotlight in a game that could go a long way in determining the Eastern Conference’s pecking order.

• Even with the Hornets slated to play Monday night following late-night travel back from New York, they could overcome their fatigue due to the urgency of the playoff chase deep into March.

• Charlotte might be willing to try different defensive strategies given that when the Hornets have had defensive lulls they’ve been the most vulnerable. But makeshift defensive alignments are something the Nuggets have encountered frequently with a focus on Jokic, the reigning NBA Most Valuable Player.

• Charlotte tends to receive its offensive boosts from a variety of sources, though Ball and Miles Bridges have shouldered the load over the past two weeks. Ball repeated his scoring success from two games earlier, and he has eclipsed the 30-point mark twice in less than a week.

• The Hornets won 115-107 on Dec. 23 at Denver.

5/10
Confidence
StreakSmarter Pick
Denver Nuggets
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