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After losing their last two games in the 2020-21 NBA, the Denver Nuggets will look to get back to winning ways when they face the Charlotte Hornets at the Spectrum Center on Tuesday.
While the Nuggets are striving to take back the West's third seed from the LA Clippers, the Horners are looking to hold onto their eighth spot in the East after losing five of their last eight games.
Match Details
Fixture: Denver Nuggets vs Charlotte Hornets | NBA Season 2020-21.
Date & Time: Tuesday, May 11th; 7:00 PM ET (Wednesday, 12th May; 4:30 AM IST).
Venue: Spectrum Center, Charlotte, NC.
Denver Nuggets Preview
After winning nine of their ten previous games, the Denver Nuggets tripped against the LA Lakers, the Brooklyn Nets and the Utah Jazz in the last week. Nevertheless, they come into this matchup as the favorites, as they seek to take back the third seed in the West in the final week of NBA regular-season action.
Heading into the NBA playoffs, the Denver Nuggets will be without star guard Jamal Murray. Facundo Campazzo and Austin Rivers have occupied the backcourt; the latter has improved his scoring recently, averaging more than 18 points a game in his last three outings.
Michael Porter Jr. has also been utilized in the Denver Nuggets' backcourt. Rivers has come off the bench and could do so again if Aaron Gordon returns to the starting lineup.
Key Player - Nikola Jokic
The Denver Nuggets could have their first-ever MVP of the league this year, as their center Nikola Jokic is widely tipped to win the award.
Key to the Nuggets' success this campaign, Jokic has the highest win share in the league and the best box +/-. He carried his teammates when their shooting was cold in the opening weeks of the year and has helped solidify their position in the top four in the absence of the injured Murray.
Jokic is already proving to be one of the best passing big men the NBA has ever seen, ranking seventh for assists per night (8.5). His leadership at both ends of the court is crucial for the Denver Nuggets and could determine how deep they go in the postseason.
Denver Nuggets Predicted Lineup
Point Guard - Facundo Campazzo | Shooting Guard - Austin Rivers | Small Forward - JaMychal Green | Power Forward - Michael Porter Jr. | Center - Nikola Jokic.
Charlotte Hornets Preview
The Charlotte Hornets are currently clinging onto their eighth seed in the East, with the Washington Wizards closing in on them. The Hornets have been boosted by the return of rookie LaMelo Ball, who has scored 16.8 points and dished out 6.5 assists in his last six games.
Worryingly for the Charlotte Hornets, though, their remaining fixture schedule is one of the most difficult in the 2020-21 NBA. That could see them drop into the ninth seed. Moreover, they'll also have to contend with their challenging run-in without their star forward, Gordon Hayward, who remains sidelined with a foot injury.
Key Player - Terry Rozier
Terry Rozier has stepped up massively for the Charlotte Hornets when they were without Hayward and Ball and has continued his fine form into May.
In this month so far, the 27-year-old has averaged 24 points and has shot at over 40% from the field and from the 3-point range.
On Sunday, Rozier put up a career-high 43 points against the New Orleans Pelicans. His partnership with LaMelo Ball could be crucial during the Charlotte Hornets' run-in, as the pair has averaged over 44 points and 17 rebounds when playing together.
Charlotte Hornets Predicted Lineup
Point Guard - LaMelo Ball | Shooting Guard - Terry Rozier | Small Forward - Jaden McDaniels | Power Forward - PJ Washington | Center - Bismack Biyombo.
Nuggets vs Hornets Match Prediction
This could be a crucial game in the Charlotte Hornets' hopes to finish the regular season in the eighth spot.
However, the last time the two sides met, the Denver Nuggets had too much depth for the Charlotte Hornets and ran up 129-104 victors. The tale could be the same this time as well. That's because the Nuggets have dominated most of their opponents in the past month.
Nikola Jokic has been the deciding factor in the Denver Nuggets' success this season. In this game, he'll look to take advantage of the smaller Bismack Biyombo in the Charlotte Hornets' frontcourt.
Where to watch the Nuggets vs Hornets matchup?
In the USA, the game between the Nuggets and Hornets will be broadcast on the Altitude network and on Bally Sports Southeast - Charlotte. The match can also be live-streamed with an NBA League Pass.
Guess the Lakers players!
