Hornets vs Nuggets Picks and Odds

• The Hornets and Nuggets meet for the first time this season on Wednesday, March 17th
• Charlotte is currently on a four-game winning streak and turning heads in the East, while Denver is 7-3 in their last 10 contests
• Get our odds, preview, and best bet below

The Charlotte Hornets will be looking to continue their unbeaten run when they visit the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday, March 17th, tip-off at 9pm EST at Ball Arena.

Charlotte is coming off an impressive comeback victory against the Sacramento Kings on Monday, rallying from 15 points down. Denver also took care of business a night ago, convincingly beating the Indiana Pacers.

The Nuggets currently have a three-game winning streak against the Hornets dating back to the 2018-19 campaign.

Hornets vs Nuggets Odds

Odds taken March 16

Charlotte is Rolling

There was certainly promise coming into this season for the Hornets, but no one could have predicted they’d be a five seed in the Eastern Conference. James Borrego’s team has been showing out, much in part to Gordon Hayward, Terry Rozier, and Rookie of the Year candidate LaMelo Ball.

Charlotte is also 7-3 in their last 10 games, averaging 117.1 points while allowing 115.6 during that span. Ball has been a clear star for the Hornets, dropping 15.8 points per night while dishing out 6.3 assists and grabbing six boards, which leads all first-year players across the association.

Monday really was a statement win for this squad. They trailed the entire game until the 1:33 mark of the final quarter, where Hayward came up with a massive steal, then finding Rozier on the fastbreak for an and-one to put them ahead for the first time.

It was a solid shooting night for Charlotte as well, sinking 40% of their attempts from three-point range, compared to just 29% for Sacramento. Their bench unit also came up huge, outscoring their opponents 42-22, led by Devonte Graham’s 12 points.

Terry: 26 PTS, 4 REB
Gordon: 25 PTS, 8 REB, 4 STL
LaMelo: 16 PTS, 4 AST, 4 REB
Devonte': 12 PTS, 4 AST#HiveStats | @BlueCrossNC pic.twitter.com/S71Nilc2u6

— Charlotte Hornets (@hornets) March 16, 2021

This next stretch is going to be tough for the Hornets though. They’re just 8-10 on the road and 11 of their next 13 contests are away from the Spectrum Center. A three-game span of matchups against the Nuggets, Lakers, and Clippers will be the ultimate test for a team looking to return to the playoffs for the first time since the 2015-16 season.

Can Denver Continue Hot Streak?

The Nuggets really started to find themselves prior to the All-Star break and they’ve kept the momentum going into the second half. Michael Malone’s squad will be seeking their seventh victory in eight on Wednesday night, but Denver will need to come out sharp from the get-go.

Nikola Jokic and co. were in charge heading into halftime against Indiana on Monday, but their defense collapsed, allowing the Pacers to rally from 20 points down and take a lead midway through the third. Thankfully, the Pacers looked tired after a dreadful road trip and the Nuggets burst out of the gates with 14 quick points in the fourth quarter to stay ahead for good.

This cannot happen when they meet with Charlotte, though. They’re a team that has proven to have the ability to overcome a deficit. Example one, their win over the Kings. Denver’s backcourt could look slightly depleted in this one as well, with arguably their best perimeter defender in Gary Harris out again due to an abductor strain. Therefore, the Nuggets could have issues containing the offensive versatility of Ball.

We held Indy to just 15 points in the fourth quarter last night 🔒#MileHighBasketball pic.twitter.com/JwiYyhZNA0

— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) March 16, 2021

Jokic will need to have a big game after dropping 32 on Monday, while it’ll be important for Jamal Murray to break out of his cold streak. The Canadian is averaging under 10 points a game in his last three appearances. Will Barton has stepped up amid Murray’s struggles, collecting 20+ points over the previous three games.

Best Bet

This is a tough one to call because both teams are playing terrific basketball lately. The Hornets have enjoyed a relative amount of success as ATS underdogs, going 15-11-1. Denver hasn’t exactly thrived as ATS favorites going 14-14.

Although Charlotte has struggled on the road, I honestly like them here for their fifth-consecutive victory. They’re on an absolute roll and after a shaky defensive effort from the Nuggets on Monday, the visitors will capitalize early on while Ball and Rozier will take advantage of Denver’s depleted backcourt.

Pick: Charlotte Hornets ATS +6.5 (-110)