The Charlotte Hornets have lost 11 straight games after losing to the defending NBA champions Denver Nuggets 111-93, meaning that the Nuggets swept the season series with the Hornets. It was just a rough game to watch. Especially since the Hornets are done with several starters. No LaMelo Ball, Terry Rozier, Mark Williams, or Gordon Hayward. It's hard to win games without most of your productive guys sidelined due to injuries. On a brighter note though, Ish Smith received his championship ring from the Nuggets after putting in his time last year. Might not mean much, but it was a nice feel-good moment for a Carolina native to receive an NBA player's ultimate prize.
Miles Bridges and Brandon Miller are the only shot Charlotte has
Those two pretty much have to have monumental performances just to stay in games. At times when it felt like a run was coming, it was sparked off of their play. Bridges finished with 26 points and Miller poured in 15 of his own. All of the Hornets' starters scored in double figures, but they only got 17 points out of their bench. While Denver's bench put up 36 points. While their key guys are out, it does fall on Bridges and Miller's shoulders to keep games close. Maybe even have a shot to win the game if given the opportunity. The score at halftime was knotted up at 49, but Denver's 40-point third quarter created an insurmountable lead for Charlotte to come back from.
When is LaMelo Ball returning?
No specific timetable has been made for his return to the court, but he has been running through some shooting drills. He should be back at some point in the month of January for sure. The playoff hopes look dim, but getting Ball back in the mix could provide some glimmer of hope within the organization. Charlotte is 7-24 and 13th in the Eastern Conference standings. They're eight games out from the 10th seed for a Play-In Tournament spot. That could be a goal to help breathe some optimism into the team.
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