Hornets Battle Hard but Come Up Short Against Denver
The Charlotte Hornets came up short in a 115–106 loss to the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday night, falling to 7–17 on the season. Both teams were missing key contributors, with Charlotte without LaMelo Ball, Collin Sexton, Tre Mann, and Moussa Diabate, while Denver played without Christian Braun and Aaron Gordon. The game ultimately swung on Denver’s elite shooting performance as they finished at 52 percent from the field and 37 percent from beyond the arc. Jamal Murray set the tone early with a blistering 23-point first quarter on his way to 34 for the night. Nikola Jokic followed with 28 points, 11 assists, and nine rebounds as Charlotte struggled to slow down Denver’s stars.
Charlotte still found several bright spots despite being shorthanded. Miles Bridges delivered a near triple-double with 24 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists while pushing the pace and keeping the Hornets within reach. Brandon Miller added 17 points and stayed steady as a secondary playmaker. KJ Simpson and Liam McNeeley each turned in their best performances of the season with 16 and 13 points, stepping up when their teammates were down due to injury. Kon Knueppel had some ups and downs offensively but still finished with 14 points and helped provide scoring support when Charlotte needed it.
The Hornets kept battling in the final minutes, trying to generate one last surge to close the gap. The ball movement improved as the game progressed, and several defensive stops gave Charlotte chances to chip away at the deficit. The team showed energy despite the difficult circumstances, leaning heavily on their young players to carry the load. Denver’s execution remained sharp, and the Nuggets found timely baskets whenever the Hornets threatened to make it a one-possession game. The late-game push highlighted Charlotte’s resilience, even if it did not change the outcome.
The Hornets now look ahead to a Friday night matchup at home against Josh Giddey and the Chicago Bulls as they aim to bounce back quickly. The team continues to show resilience despite the heavy injury load, and the growing confidence from the young players remains an encouraging sign. Denver improves to 17–6 with the win and received helpful contributions from Tim Hardaway Jr. with 14 points and Peyton Watson with 10, as their role players helped complement Jokic and Murray’s big night. The Nuggets will head to Sacramento next for a Thursday night meeting with Zach LaVine and the Kings. Charlotte will try to regroup, stay competitive, and build on the promising performances from several players.
