Miami Heat(18-23; 3-6 in Southeast Division play) vs. Charlotte Hornets(17-25; 3-4 in Southeast Division play)
Time Warner Cable Arena
Wednesday, 7:00 p.m.
Television: SportSouth
Radio: WFNZ-AM(610 The Fan)
Last 2 meetings: Miami 94, Charlotte 93(November 23rd at Miami); Charlotte 96, Miami 89(November 5th at Charlotte)
Series history(since original Hornets first season in 1988-89): MIA leads series 54-35 all-time
Tonight at "The Hive", the Charlotte Hornets look to continue their impressive string of playing solid basketball over the last 2 weeks as they welcome in the Miami Heat to town. The last time the Hornets were in action came on Monday afternoon, resulting in a 105-80 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves at home, while Miami is coming off a loss at the hands of the Oklahoma City Thunder last night in Miami.
Scouting the Heat
The 2014-15 season for the Miami Heat is somewhat a story of their ups and downs, as they adjust to life without LeBron James. But they still have Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh leading the way for the Heat, who are coming off a loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder last night at AmericanAirlines Arena, dropping them to 18-23 on the year. Tonight in Charlotte, the Heat looks to bounce back from that loss as they take on a Charlotte Hornets team that has been playing some good basketball lately over the last few games.
Scouting the Hornets
The talk around the NBA over these few days has to be the impressive play that the Charlotte Hornets have been doing lately, they have won 7 of their last 8 games, with one coming back on Monday afternoon, as Charlotte defeated Minnesota 105-80 at "The Hive". Interestingly enough, the Hornets are just a 1/2 game back of a playoff spot behind Brooklyn, and with the possibility of Kemba Walker returning to the lineup tonight, the Hornets are hoping that their great play can lead them to a win over Miami tonight, as Charlotte will finish up its season-long 4-game homestand.
"Classic Night" to take place tonight
Tonight's game has been designated as a "Classic Night", as the Charlotte Hornets will have several special in-game elements to honor the days of the original Charlotte Hornets(1988-2002), and fans are encouraged to wear their classic Hornets gear to the game as part of the "Classic Night" festivities during "Wednesday Night Basketball" as well.
Next 4 games for the Hornets(Home games in Purple, Road games in Teal)
Friday: Charlotte @ Cleveland Cavaliers(7:30 p.m.)
Saturday: New York Knicks vs. Charlotte(7:00 p.m.)
Next Wednesday: Charlotte @ San Antonio Spurs(8:30 p.m.)
Next Saturday: Charlotte @ Denver Nuggets(9:00 p.m.)
NOTES: All SportSouth telecasts begin with "Hornets Live" 30 minutes before tip-off; All Hornets games can be heard locally on flagship station WFNZ-AM(610 The Fan) and throughout the Carolinas on the Hornets Radio Network.
San Antonio Spurs(23-16) vs. Charlotte Hornets(15-24)
Time Warner Cable Arena
Wednesday, 7:00 p.m.
Television: SportSouth
Radio: WFNZ-AM(610 The Fan)
Series history(since original Hornets first season in 1988-89): SA leads series 34-14 all-time
The Charlotte Hornets will begin their season long 4-game homestand at "The Hive" tonight as they welcome in the reigning NBA Champion San Antonio Spurs. The Hornets have been on a roll recently, winning 5 straight games, and the lights-out play of Kemba Walker, who was recently named NBA Eastern Conference Player of the Week. San Antonio is coming off a loss last night at the hands of John Wall and the Washington Wizards on the road.
Scouting the Spurs
The defending champions are in the midst of a road trip, which included a stop in Washington last night, where they lost to the Wizards. Of course, when you play the Spurs, you have of course, Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili, not to mention head coach Gregg Popovich. San Antonio is one of the top tier teams in the NBA, and they will look to get back in the win column this evening in Charlotte, as they square off against the Hornets.
Scouting the Hornets
Charlotte will begin its season long 4-game homestand at Time Warner Cable Arena this evening with a visit from the defending NBA Champion San Antonio Spurs. Charlotte comes in winners of 5-straight games, with a bulk of their success coming by way of Kemba Walker, who was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week recently. Word is that Lance Stephenson is expected to return to the lineup for Charlotte tonight after missing the last few weeks with a groin strain injury. It won't be no easy walk in the park for the Hornets, as they look to make it 6 straight wins tonight, when they battle the Spurs inside "The Hive".
Next 4 games for the Hornets(Home games in Purple, Road games in Teal)
Saturday: Indiana Pacers vs. Charlotte(7:00 p.m.)
Monday: Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Charlotte(2:00 p.m.)
Next Wednesday: Miami Heat vs. Charlotte*(7:00 p.m.)
Next Friday: Charlotte @ Cleveland Cavaliers(7:30 p.m.)
*-Southeast Division game
NOTES: All SportSouth telecasts begin with "Hornets Live" 30 minutes before tip-off; All Hornets games can be heard locally on flagship station WFNZ-AM(610 The Fan) and throughout the Carolinas on the Hornets Radio Network.
110
82
Last Saturday afternoon at Madison Square Garden, the Charlotte Hornets would notch their 5th straight win, with a 110-82 demolishing of the New York Knicks to improve their record on the year to 15-21 overall.
The number one reason why they won in impressive fashion: playing good basketball, and of course, Kemba Walker continuing his impressive roll that earned him Eastern Conference Player of the Week honors recently, as he would finish the game on Saturday with 28 points to lead the way for the Hornets in the win, Charlotte also saw several more players get into the act in the win, including Bismack Biyombo, who played exceptionally well for the Hornets with a double-double(14 points and 12 rebounds), while Brian Roberts had a solid day for Charlotte off the bench with 14 as well. P.J. Hairston saw some action, going 6-of-12 from the field in his 22 minutes of action to end up with 15 and rounding out the group of double-figure scorers for the Hornets was Michael Kidd-Gilchrist with 10.
And for the Knicks, who have already raised the "White Flag", they were led by Quincy Acy and his 18 point outing. Tomorrow night, the Hornets will look for their sixth straight win of the season, as they welcome in Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, and the defending champion San Antonio Spurs to Time Warner Cable Arena for a 7:00 start, as Charlotte will open up a stretch of playing 5 of their next 6 games at "The Hive".
Charlotte Hornets(14-24) vs. New York Knicks(5-34)
Madison Square Garden, New York
Saturday, 1:00 p.m.
Television: SportSouth
Radio: WFNZ-AM(610 The Fan)
Last 2 meetings: Charlotte 103, New York 102(December 5th at Charlotte); New York 96, Charlotte 93(November 2nd at New York)
Series history(since original Hornets first season in 1988-89): NYK leads series 53-39 all-time
Today is another busy sports day here in Charlotte, as the Charlotte Hornets will make the trek to "The Big Apple" for a afternoon game against the slumping New York Knicks, before the Carolina Panthers square against the Seattle Seahawks later tonight in the NFC Divisional Playoff. The Hornets enter today's game on a 4-game winning streak, and the strong play of Gerald Henderson and Kemba Walker recently, while the Knicks are on a downward spiral, losing 14 straight games. Both teams split the first 2 meetings of the 4-game set, with the Knicks prevailing on November 2nd at The Garden, while the Hornets won in thrilling fashion back on December 5th at "The Hive" on Walker's game-winning layup.
Scouting the Hornets
If there's one person that is responsible for what the Hornets have done recently, it would have to be Kemba Walker, who recently had a string of three-straight 30-plus point games, which came to an end on Wednesday night in Toronto, finishing with 29 points in Charlotte's win over the Raptors, which saw Gerald Henderson lead the way with 31 points to give the Hornets their 4th straight win. Charlotte hopes to give their fans something to cheer about today as they look for their 5th straight win by making the trek to New York to face the slumping Knicks this afternoon, and who knows, they could rub some of that luck on the Carolina Panthers later tonight in Seattle, as they take on the Seahawks.
Scouting the Knicks
It has been a downward spiral for the New York Knicks, who are already missing it's star, Carmelo Anthony and have recently traded J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert to the Cleveland Cavaliers. On top of all that, they have lost 14 straight games, and fans have somewhat started to give up on the 2014-15 season for the Knicks and have began looking ahead to the 2015-16 season. New York hopes to avoid their 15th straight loss today, by welcoming in the red-hot Charlotte Hornets to Madison Square Garden.
Next 4 games for the Hornets(Home games in Purple, Road games in Teal)
Wednesday: San Antonio Spurs vs. Charlotte(7:00 p.m.)
Next Saturday: Indiana Pacers vs. Charlotte(7:00 p.m.)
January 19th: Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Charlotte(2:00 p.m.)
January 21st: Miami Heat vs. Charlotte*(7:00 p.m.)
*-Southeast Division game
NOTES: All SportSouth telecasts begin with "Hornets Live" 30 minutes before tip-off; All Hornets games can be heard locally on flagship station WFNZ-AM(610 The Fan) and throughout the Carolinas on the Hornets Radio Network.
103
95
With Al Jefferson, Lance Stephenson, and Cody Zeller not in last night's lineup, the Charlotte Hornets wanted to call on some reinforcements to stay the course after Wednesday night's win at home over the New Orleans Pelicans, and one of those major reinforcements was Gerald Henderson, who helped carry the load for the Hornets en route to its fourth straight win by defeating the Toronto Raptors 103-95 at the Air Canada Center. The Hornets are now 14-24 on the season, while Toronto dropped it's 4th straight and find themselves at 24-11 on the year.
Another key player that played a part in Charlotte's win last night was Kemba Walker, and that would deserve some praise from head coach Steve Clifford. "We're asking a lot of him. He's young, competitive, and likes to play big minutes." said Clifford of Walker, who was just one point shy of joining former Hornet Glen Rice as the only players in the history of Charlotte NBA Basketball(dating back to 1988-89) to have four-straight 30 point games(Rice accomplished the feat in the 1996-97 season). "I'm just taking the opportunities that the defense gives me." said Walker, who finished with 29 points on 12-of-25 shooting from the field. "When I see my opportunity, I'm just making the play."
Henderson led the way with 31 points on 13-of-20 shooting from the field for Charlotte, while Marvin Williams, who started in place of Cody Zeller, had a good outing with 13 points and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist had 10 points to go with 12 rebounds for another double-double in the win for the Hornets.
And for the Raptors, it was Kyle Lowry that led the way with 24 in the loss for the Raptors. Charlotte will be in action tomorrow afternoon, as they look for their 5th straight win by taking on the New York Knicks for a 1:00 p.m. start at Madison Square Garden, before they come back home to "The Hive" on Wednesday night to face the defending NBA champion San Antonio Spurs at 7:00.
94
98
When the game is on the line, who do you trust to take the final shot? Here in Charlotte, you look to Kemba Walker to deliver, and he did exactly that as his go-ahead three-point play gave the Charlotte Hornets a 98-94 win over the New Orleans Pelicans last night at Time Warner Cable Arena, lifting the Hornets to their third straight win. The win also improves the Hornets record on the year to 13-24, while the Pelicans fall to 17-18.
On the night, Walker reached 30 points again for the third straight game, winding up with 31 to lead the way for the Hornets in the win, while he was joined by Gerald Henderson, who continued his solid performances recently for Charlotte, scoring 16 points, with Michael Kidd-Glichrist notching a double-double, adding in 12 rebounds to go with his 13 points and Brian Roberts rounded out the group of double figure scorers for the Hornets with 10 off the bench.
And over on the Pelicans side, Anthony Davis led all game scorers with 32 points to go along with 12 in the loss for New Orleans. Next up for the Hornets, they're in Toronto tonight to take on Kyle Lowry and the Raptors inside the Air Canada Centre at 7:30 p.m., before they square off against the New York Knicks on Saturday afternoon for a 1:00 p.m. start inside Madison Square Garden.
New Orleans Pelicans(17-17) vs. Charlotte Hornets(12-24)
Time Warner Cable Arena
Wednesday, 7:00 p.m.
Television: SportSouth
Radio: WFNZ-AM(610 The Fan)
Last meeting: New Orleans 100, Charlotte 91(November 4th at New Orleans)
Series history(modern era since 2004-05 season): NOP leads series 15-6 all-time
After posting quality wins over Orlando and Boston, the Charlotte Hornets return to action this evening at Time Warner Cable Arena as they welcome in the 17-17 New Orleans Pelicans to town. The last time the two teams got together came back on November 4th in New Orleans, where the Pelicans held on for a 100-91 win over Charlotte on their home floor of the Smoothie King Center behind Anthony Davis's 24 point/13 rebound performance. The Hornets look to get even and look for a split of the season series in the second and final meeting of the teams tonight in Charlotte.
Scouting the Pelicans
It has been somewhat of a up and down rollercoaster ride for the New Orleans Pelicans so far this season, as they enter this evening's match-up at Charlotte with a 17-17 mark. Everyone knows that when you face the Pelicans, then you know you have to deal with Anthony Davis, a possible MVP candidate in the making for a New Orleans squad, and you have to also look out for Ryan Anderson, Eric Gordon, and the rest of a Pelicans team that is hoping to generate a lot of noise in the Western Conference, as they look for a possible season sweep of Charlotte tonight on the road.
Scouting the Hornets
After losing 5 straight games, the Charlotte Hornets have bounced back with 2 straight wins recently, with a win on Saturday in Orlando, and winning at Boston back on Monday night. The key component to the Hornets success so far has to be the play of Kemba Walker, who has posted 30+ points in his last 2 games, and he and the rest of the Hornets hope to carry the momentum from these past 2 wins into tonight's home game against the visiting New Orleans Pelicans at "The Hive", before Charlotte travels up North to Toronto tomorrow night to face the Raptors.
Next 4 games for the Hornets(Home games in Purple, Road games in Teal)
Thursday: Charlotte @ Toronto Raptors(7:30 p.m.)
Saturday: Charlotte @ New York Knicks(1:00 p.m.)
Next Wednesday: San Antonio Spurs vs. Charlotte(7:00 p.m.)
January 17th: Indiana Pacers vs. Charlotte(7:00 p.m.)
NOTES: All SportSouth telecasts begin with "Hornets Live" 30 minutes before tip-off; All Hornets games can be heard locally on flagship station WFNZ-AM(610 The Fan) and throughout the Carolinas on the Hornets Radio Network.
104
95
Earlier tonight in Boston, the Charlotte Hornets made it 2 straight wins thanks to yet another great outing from Kemba Walker, as his 33 points were just enough for Charlotte to defeat the Celtics 104-95, to improve their mark to 12-24 on the year.
The Hornets would somewhat lead for almost the entire duration of the game tonight, with a lead of 22 at one point during the night, before Boston almost made a strong run at it in the 4th, but Charlotte would manage to protect the lead and to get out of TD Garden with the win. On the night, Charlotte would finish with a 48.7% field goal percentage for the game, while winning the rebounding battle by a plus-15 margin(48-33). Joining Walker on the Hornets list of double-figure scorers were Cody Zeller, who got the best of the battle between him and his brother Tyler on the night, scoring 20, while Gerald Henderson had a good showing for head coach Steve Clifford's squad, going 4-of-9 from the field on the night to end up with 13 points, and Marvin Williams rounded out the group of double-figure scorers for Charlotte with 10 in the win for the Hornets.
Over on the Celtics side of the final box score, Boston(11-21) was led in scoring by Jared Sullinger, who had 22 on the night to lead the way for the Celtics in the loss, while Jae Crowder and James Young each had 13. The Hornets hope to notch their third straight win on Wednesday night, when they welcome in Anthony Davis, Eric Gordon, Ryan Anderson, and the New Orleans Pelicans to Time Warner Cable Arena.
98
90
If the Charlotte Hornets wanted a wake-up call after their loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday night at "The Hive", then last night's game at the Amway Center was indeed a wake-up call for Charlotte, who protected a big lead for most of the night to walk out of Orlando with a 98-90 win over the Magic. The win improves the Hornets to 11-24 on the season, while Orlando dropped to 13-24.
The Hornets had everything going for them in the win on Saturday, according to Kemba Walker. "Our communication on defense was great and we just made some great plays." Walker said. "Guys were in the right spots and this is how it has to be night in and night out."
Walker would lead the way for Charlotte with 30 points on the night last night, as the Hornets had everything going right for them on the night. "The stretch where we played well, we got a lot of effort points, fast breaks, and guys keeping the ball alive for second chances. That gave us a cushion to play with on the road." quoted Hornets head coach Steve Clifford.
Charlotte also saw three other players reach double-digits, among them were Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, who added 17 points, while Gary Neal stepped things up off the bench for the Hornets and ending the night with 16 and Cody Zeller would end up with 12, as the Hornets would end up shooting 44.9% from the field in the win and out-rebounding the Magic by a plus-9 margin(53-44).
For the Magic, who lost their third game in the row, Victor Oladipo led the way with 21 points. Next up on the agenda for the Charlotte Hornets, a trip to Boston to take on the Celtics tomorrow night at 7:30 p.m. inside TD Garden, before returning to Time Warner Cable Arena on Wednesday night to face Anthony Davis, Ryan Anderson, and the New Orleans Pelicans for a 7:00 p.m. start.
104
94(OT)
One day after the Carolina Panthers clinched the NFC South title, many were hoping that the Charlotte Hornets would continue to give Charlotte something to cheer about in last night's match-up against the Milwaukee Bucks at Time Warner Cable Arena. After being down for almost the entire game, Charlotte would make a strong comeback, but in the end, Milwaukee had the last laugh, as they escaped out of Charlotte with a 104-94 win in overtime. With the loss, the Hornets are now 10-22 on the season.
What did the Hornets in was their field goal percentage, shooting a dismal 36.7% from the field, a main concern for a team that's missing Lance Stephenson still with a pelvic injury. That allowed the Bucks to jump out to a lead of 21 points, which also doomed the Hornets as well in the loss.
Milwaukee was led by Brandon Knight with 18 points on 8-of-19 shooting from the field, while the Hornets in the loss were led by Kemba Walker and his 28 points.
Charlotte will have 2 tough games that won't be no easy walk in the park, with the first of them starting tomorrow night on New Year's Eve in Houston against Dwight Howard, James Harden, and the Houston Rockets for a 7:00 p.m. start at the Toyota Center.
Milwaukee Bucks(15-16) vs. Charlotte Hornets(10-21)
Time Warner Cable Arena
Monday, 7:00 p.m.
Television: SportSouth
Radio: WFNZ-AM(610 The Fan)
Last 2 meetings: Charlotte 108, Milwaukee 101(December 23rd at Milwaukee); Charlotte 108, Milwaukee 106(2OT on October 29th at Charlotte)
Series history(since original Hornets first season in 1988-89): Series tied 48-48 all time
The Charlotte Hornets and Milwaukee Bucks will wrap up their 3-game season series tonight, this time around it will be on the Hornets home floor of Time Warner Cable Arena in Uptown Charlotte. The last time these two teams met was almost 7 days ago, when Charlotte traveled to Milwaukee and defeated the Bucks 108-101 behind Kemba Walker's 27 point performance.
Charlotte is coming off a rough performance on Saturday, as Orlando defeated Charlotte 102-94, despite Walker's 42 point performance, along with a Charlotte NBA basketball franchise(dating back to the original Charlotte Hornets first season in 1988-89) record 35 points in the second half, surpassing the previous mark of 28 set by former Hornets Kelly Tripucka and Glen Rice, while the Bucks meanwhile, are coming off a 90-85 loss to Atlanta back on Saturday at the BMO Harris Bradley Center.
Scouting the Bucks
The 15-16 Milwaukee Bucks are coming off a 5-point loss on Saturday to the Atlanta Hawks at the BMO Harris Bradley Center, despite Khris Middleton leading the way with 21 points in the loss. The last time Milwaukee and Charlotte met was last Tuesday, with the Hornets coming away with a 108-101 win to clinch the season series, and tonight, the Buck hope to avoid the season sweep by Charlotte, as they visit "The Queen City" for the third and final time this season.
Scouting the Hornets
Charlotte is coming off 2 rough outings after winning 4 straight, including a blowout loss at the hands of the Oklahoma City Thunder on the road back on Friday, and a defeat at the hands of the Orlando Magic on Saturday night at "The Hive", despite Kemba Walker's career-high 42-point performance, including 35 points in the second half, setting a Charlotte Hornets franchise record for points in a half, surpassing the previous mark of 28 in a half accomplished by former Hornets Kelly Tripucka in 1988 and Glen Rice, who did it twice in 1997 and again in 1998. The Hornets are looking to get back into the win column, and looking to sweep the season series against the Bucks tonight, as the Hornets welcome in the Milwaukee Bucks for the third and final time in the 2014-15 season.
Next 4 games for the Hornets(Home games in Purple, Road games in Teal)
Wednesday: Charlotte @ Houston Rockets(7:00 p.m.)
Friday: Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Charlotte(7:00 p.m.)
Saturday: Charlotte @ Orlando Magic*(7:00 p.m.)
Next Monday: Charlotte @ Boston Celtics(7:30 p.m.)
*-Southeast Division game
NOTES: All SportSouth telecasts begin with "Hornets Live" 30 minutes before tip-off; All Hornets games can be heard locally on flagship station WFNZ-AM(610 The Fan) and throughout the Carolinas on the Hornets Radio Network.
102
94
To sum up last night's performance by the Charlotte Hornets in their home game against the Orlando Magic, it would be a tale of a team that has decided to quit on themselves for most of the night, while the other would be a tale of a player going beastmode. It was that kind of night, as the Orlando Magic handed the Hornets their second straight loss witha 102-94 win over Charlotte.
Despite the loss, it would be a career/record setting night for Kemba Walker, as he would lead all game scorers with 42 points, including a record-setting 35 point performance in the second half, setting a Charlotte NBA record for most points in a half surpassing the 28 point point scoring totals in a half that were set by former Hornets Kelly Tripucka(28 vs. IND on 12/14/1988) and twice by Glen Rice(First vs. PHX on 2/19/1997 and again vs. MIA 1/2/1998).
Head Coach Steve Clifford wasn't pleased with his team's effort in the loss, which dropped Charlotte to 10-21, but he did praise Kemba for keeping his team in the game. "He can be a cornerstone player for teams that go deep into the playoffs because of his competitiveness. He has just a competitive spirit that is contagious to me." Clifford said.
"I had a career night, a great game but it just wasn't enough. Our problem wasn't offensively, it was defensively." Walker said. The defensive game doomed Charlotte big time, turning the ball over 10 times, and allowing Orlando to take advantage and opening the door for Nikola Vucevic to lead the way for the Magic with 22 points to go with 11 rebounds in last night's win.
Orlando also saw Tobias Harris join in with 21 points, while Victor Oladipo helped out the cause with 13 on the night for the Magic, who shot 45.8% from the field, despite being out-rebounded by the Hornets by a plus-1 margin(41-40). Walker did indeed led all game scorers with a season-high 42 point outburst, while Al Jefferson had 14 points for Charlotte in the loss.
Charlotte hopes to bounce back from two tough losses and to get back into the win column on Monday night at Time Warner Cable Arena, as they take on the Milwaukee Bucks at 7:10 p.m., before hitting the road to wrap up 2014 in Houston against the Rockets on Wednesday.
Charlotte Hornets(10-19) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder(13-16)
Chesapeake Energy Arena, Oklahoma City
Friday, 8:00 p.m.
Television: SportSouth
Radio: WFNZ-AM(610 The Fan)
Series history(since original Hornets first season in 1988-89): SEA/OKC franchise leads series 32-15 all-time
After their 2-day Christmas break, the Charlotte Hornets will venture out to Oklahoma City in search of their 5th straight win against the always tough Oklahoma City Thunder. The Hornets are coming off a 108-101 win over the Bucks on Tuesday night in Milwaukee, while the Thunder is licking their wounds after dropping a 115-111 decision to the Portland Trail Blazers, and they'll be in action on Christmas Day tomorrow, when they square off against the defending NBA champion Spurs in San Antonio. The Charlotte franchise in the modern era(since 2004-05) hasn't won a game in Oklahoma City since the then-Seattle SuperSonics relocated to Oklahoma City back in the 2008-09 season, but the Hornets look to end the long streak on Friday night.
Scouting the Hornets
The Charlotte Hornets are enjoying their recent string of wins, 4 of them to be exact, as they defeated the Bucks last night in Milwaukee, while Kemba Walker has been carrying a good bulk of the load in those wins, along with Al Jefferson as well. Last night's game marked the fifth time that the Hornets franchise has scored 100 points in a game since April 8-16 of 2008, when the then-Bobcats accomplished that feat. The Charlotte franchise hasn't won a game in Oklahoma City in the modern era(2004-present), but the Hornets look to reverse that trend and finally earn themselves their first win in OKC on Friday night, as they take on the Thunder.
Scouting the Thunder
Last night was a crazy night for the Thunder on the home floor of Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, as they entertained the Portland Trail Blazers, and the end result of that game wasn't the way head coach Scott Brooks and his squad wanted to see, as Portland came away with a 115-111 win in overtime, despite Russell Westbrook dropping 40 points in the loss for the Thunder, who are still without one of their other star players, Kevin Durant. Oklahoma City will be in action on Christmas Day tomorrow, as they visit San Antonio to begin a back-to-back set against the defending champion Spurs, before they return home to OKC on Friday to face the Hornets.
Next 4 games for the Hornets(Home games in Purple, Road games in Teal)
Saturday: Orlando Magic vs. Charlotte*(7:00 p.m.)
Monday: Milwaukee Bucks vs. Charlotte(7:00 p.m.)
Next Wednesday: Charlotte @ Houston Rockets(7:00 p.m.)
Next Friday: Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Charlotte(7:00 p.m.)
*-Southeast Division game
NOTES: All SportSouth telecasts begin with "Hornets Live" 30 minutes before tip-off; All Hornets games can be heard locally on flagship station WFNZ-AM(610 The Fan) and throughout the Carolinas on the Hornets Radio Network.
108
101
The Charlotte Hornets have been starting to find a formula in their last few games - sticking with the game plan and adding in some defensive pressure in the process. That and the solid play of Kemba Walker has all contributed to Charlotte notching it's 4th straight win last night in Milwaukee, defeating the Bucks 108-101 to go to 10-19 on the season.
Despite being outsmarted in the transition game, Hornets head coach Steve Clifford was pleased to see his defense step it up in the fourth quarter, an area that the team has struggled a few times with this season. "They beat us in transition, but in the fourth quarter, when they needed to be, our defense was good." Clifford said.
Walker did lead the Hornets in scoring with 27 points on 9-of-18 shooting from the field to lead the Hornets group of double-figure scorers in last night's win. Joining him was Gerald Henderson, who was 6-of-10 from the field to end up with 20 points, while Marvin Williams and Al Jefferson each had 12, with P.J. Hairston and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist each adding in 10 points. Charlotte managed to out-shoot the Bucks from the free-throw line with a 77.8% average from that area, while they out-rebounded the Bucks by a plus-3 margin(43-40).
Milwaukee, who was coming off a four-game West Coast road swing, was led in scoring by Brandon Knight with a game-high 34 points to lead the Bucks, while he was joined by Khris Middleton with 12 points. Giannis Antetokounmpo would finish up with 11 points and rounding out the list of double-figure scorers for the Bucks was Jared Dudley with 10 on the night.
The Charlotte Hornets will enjoy the next 2 days off for Christmas before they jump back into action on Friday night in Oklahoma City against Russell Westbrook and the Thunder for a 8:00 p.m. start at Chesapeake Energy Arena, before they return home to Time Warner Cable Arena on Saturday to square off against the Orlando Magic.
Charlotte Hornets(9-19) vs. Milwaukee Bucks(14-14)
BMO Harris Bradley Center, Milwaukee
Tuesday, 8:00 p.m.
Television: SportSouth
Radio: WFNZ-AM(610 The Fan)
Last meeting: Charlotte 108, Milwaukee 106(Overtime on October 29th in Charlotte)
Series history(since original Hornets first season in 1988-89): MIL leads series 48-47 all-time
The Charlotte Hornets are facing another back-to-back set of games, as they visit Milwaukee tonight looking for their 4th straight win as they take on the Bucks. The last time these two teams met, was back on Opening Night in Charlotte, where Kemba Walker was clutch for the Hornets in their 108-106 win over Milwaukee in Overtime back on October 29th at Time Warner Cable Arena. Charlotte won convincingly last night at home, defeating the Denver Nuggets 110-82 for their third straight win, while Milwaukee is coming off a 106-102 loss at the hands of the Los Angeles Clippers last Saturday.
Scouting the Hornets
The Charlotte Hornets come into tonight's game with a 3-game win streak under their belt, earning it in a 28-point blowout of the Denver Nuggets 110-82 last night at "The Hive" behind Al Jefferson's 22 point outing in the win for the Hornets, while Kemba Walker has been continuing his solid play over the last few games as well. The two need to have another strong outing this evening for the Hornets, as they visit Milwaukee to battle the Bucks, who they defeated in overtime back on October 29th in Charlotte, as they look for their 4th straight win.
Scouting the Bucks
Milwaukee comes in sitting at the .500 mark(14-14), and entering tonight's game after a 106-102 close call at the hands of the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday night. Milwaukee has 2 star players to keep your eyes open for, and that's Brandon Knight and Giannis Antetokounmpo, these two have to carry the load for the Bucks now that Jabari Parker is done for the season, and they have been giving Milwaukee a solid chance to win night in and night out. Look for either one of these two to have a good game tonight, as Milwaukee welcomes in the Charlotte Hornets to the BMO Harris Bradley Center.
Next 4 games for the Hornets(Home games in Purple, Road games in Teal)
Friday: Charlotte @ Oklahoma City Thunder(8:00 p.m.)
Saturday: Orlando Magic vs. Charlotte*(7:00 p.m.)
Monday: Milwaukee Bucks vs. Charlotte(7:00 p.m.)
Wednesday: Charlotte @ Houston Rockets(7:00 p.m.)
*-Southeast Division game
NOTES: All SportSouth telecasts begin with "Hornets Live" 30 minutes before tip-off; All Hornets games can be heard locally on flagship station WFNZ-AM(610 The Fan) and throughout the Carolinas on the Hornets Radio Network.
82
110
As the old saying goes, "When you're hot, you're hot.", and for the Charlotte Hornets in their last three games, they've been playing extremely well and winning by almost 20 points. Fast forward to last night, as the Hornets notched it's third straight win with a 28-point drubbing of the Denver Nuggets 110-82 at Time Warner Cable Arena. Charlotte improved its record to 9-19 on the season with last night's win, while Denver fell to 12-16.
Much of what we saw in last night's win for the Hornets came from Al Jefferson, who would lead the team with 22 points on 10-of-13 shooting from the field, despite having just 7 rebounds on the night, while Kemba Walker had another strong performance again for the third straight game, as head coach Steve Clifford likes what he has seeing from Walker so far this season. "He's in the paint every pick-and-roll, and he can score." Clifford said. "But he's also kicking the ball out to his teammates." Walker would finish the night with 18 points. Gary Neal played a part in the win, scoring 13 points, while one of the biggest surprises on the night, P.J. Hairston, would not only score 10 points, but he also added in 10 rebounds, with Cody Zeller adding in 10 points of his own.
Charlotte would finish the night shooting 53.8% from the field and 42.1% from three-point range, while out-rebounding the Nuggets by a plus-7 margin(44-37).
And for the Nuggets in the loss, Ty Lawson led the way with 18 points on 8-of-15 shooting from the field, while Alonzo Gee would score 15 points off the bench for the Nuggets.
Tonight in Milwaukee, the Hornets are out after their 4th straight win as they travel to Milwaukee to take on the Bucks at the BMO Harris Bradley Center for a 8:00 p.m. start, before taking a 2-day Christmas break. Charlotte will return to action on Friday, as they square off against Kevin Durant and the Oklahoma City Thunder at the Chesapeake Energy Arena, before coming back home on Saturday night to face the Orlando Magic at "The Hive".
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Playing a set of back-to-back games can take a toll on a NBA team during an 82-game schedule, but for the Charlotte Hornets, who entered last night's game after defeating the 76ers in Philadelphia on Friday, they wanted to carry the momentum from Friday's game into their game against the Utah Jazz at Time Warner Cable Arena, and boy did they ever keep their word true, as Charlotte cruised past Utah 104-86 for its second straight win, and improving to 8-19 on the season, thus ending a 10-game regular season losing skid vs. Utah as well.
For the Hornets, it was nothing more but a well-executed performance in their win, as they did not let up and didn't give up on each other, it was all about playing smart basketball, and it was all done possible by of course, Kemba Walker, who led the way with 20 points on just 8-of-17 shooting from the field, while Al Jefferson had himself a double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds before leaving the game with a mild groin strain late in the game, but he did feel great to contribute to Charlotte's win last night.
"It feels good. If they needed me, I could've come back in there." Jefferson quoted. Hornets head coach Steve Clifford liked what he saw out of Kemba in last night's game as well as their win on Friday in Philadelphia, too. "I'm not saying he's at an entirely different level, but his defense, organizational skills as a point guard and his pick and roll game this year is all better." Clifford said of Walker.
Charlotte also saw 2 other players reach double-figures, with Gerald Henderson adding in 17 points, while Michael Kidd-Gilchrist got himself a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds. As a team, the Hornets finished up the night shooting 48.3% from the field, while out-shooting them from three-point range with 40.9% and winning the rebound battle by a +10 margin(49-39).
Utah saw 6 players reach double-figures in their portion of the final box score, with Gordon Hayward, who was one of the targets Charlotte had on their radar before choosing to stay with Utah, leading the way with 14 points on the night, while Derrick Favors and Joe Ingles each adding 13 points each. Rudy Gobert and Alec Burks each had 11 on the night, with Trey Burke rounding out the list with 10 points.
Tomorrow night at "The Hive", the Hornets will be out for their third win in a row, as they welcome in Ty Lawson and the Denver Nuggets for a 7:00 p.m. start, before hitting the road on Tuesday night to square off against the Milwaukee Bucks at 8:00 p.m. inside the BMO Harris Bradley Center.
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