Kemba Drops 31 as the Charlotte Hornets Inch Closer to the Playoffs With Win Over Denver

Kemba Walker‘s big night, coupled with an outstanding performance from the Charlotte Hornets’ second unit, led the team to a big victory over the Nuggets.

The Charlotte Hornets (35-41) were able to defeat the Denver Nuggets (35-40) behind 31 points from Kemba Walker and 50 points from their bench. The home team was able to overcome a triple-double from Denver’s Nikola Jokic as they continue their fight towards the postseason. This was an important game for both teams as they were looking to gain some ground in their respective conference’s playoff races.

Ramon Sessions was a healthy scratch for the fourth consecutive game while Johnny O’Bryant‘s ankle sprain has now kept him sidelined for more than three weeks. Brian Roberts missed shootaround due to a personal reason and he did not see minutes in this one. Seems like for the first time in a while that the Hornets are actually healthy.

Game Story and Turning Point

The fourth quarter proved to be the difference-maker as Charlotte seemingly caught fire in the final period of the game. It was a close affair throughout but Denver looked to be in control as they held a 94-86 lead heading into the fourth. The Hornets turned things around as they started the final period on a 12-0 run and didn’t look back. They ended up outscoring the Nuggets 36-20 in the quarter. Kaminsky led the way with 12 points in the fourth while Kemba and Marco each added nine points in the period.

Who Stepped Up

Once again, Cardiac Kemba came up huge for Charlotte as he finished the game with a game-high 31 points to go along with eight assists and only one turnover. Frank Kaminsky led the second unit as he scored 22 points off of the bench. Jeremy Lamb also came up big as he added 13 points.

Nicolas Batum put together an all-around performance with 13 points, nine assists and five rebounds. Marco Belinelli chipped in 11 points while Michael Kidd-Gilchrist almost pulled down a double-double with 11 points and seven boards. Marvin Williams and Cody Zeller combined for 17 points and 17 rebounds.

The Joker was up to his tricks as Nikola Jokic notched a triple-double with 16 points, 13 boards and 10 assists on the night. Gary Harris scored 20 points after being held scoreless in his last outing against the Hornets. Danilo Gallinari put up 19 points while Kenneth Faried had 18 points and13 rebounds in a double-double performance. Jameer Nelson recorded 12 points and nine assists before being taken out due to a calf strain in the second half.

Play of the Game:

Tweet of the Game:

"Quick Stings"

Kemba recorded his 14th 30+ point game of the season.
Kaminsky knocked down a career-high-tying five three’s.
Marvin tied a career-high with four steals in this one.
The Hornets shot (25-30) 83.3% from the free throw line compared to only (8-11) 72.7% from the Nuggets.
Charlotte’s bench outscored Denver’s second unit 50-19.

With the win, the Hornets swept the season series, 2-0, over the Nuggets. After getting swept by Denver last year, Charlotte got revenge this time around. The two victories weren’t easy but Kemba and company did enough to come out on top both times.

Next: Marco's Been Unleashed in March

In their next outing, the Charlotte Hornets will hit the road to take on Russell Westbrook and the Oklahoma City Thunder. It will be the second and final matchup between the two sides as Steve Clifford’s side will attempt to sweep the season series. Every game is crucial for Charlotte as they attempt to make the playoffs and this one will be no different. The Hornets will look to carry their momentum into this one and get a big win on the road.

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