Swarm and Sting
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Charlotte Hornets End Six-Game Road Trip With a Win in Denver, 112-102

By Jerry Stephens

Mar 4, 2017; Denver, CO, USA; Charlotte Hornets forward Johnny O'Bryant III (8) and guard Nicolas Batum (5) defend against Denver Nuggets forward Danilo Gallinari (8) in the second quarter at the Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 4, 2017; Denver, CO, USA; Charlotte Hornets forward Johnny O'Bryant III (8) and guard Nicolas Batum (5) defend against Denver Nuggets forward Danilo Gallinari (8) in the second quarter at the Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports /
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After a long road trip out west, the Charlotte Hornets were able to end on a high note as they defeated the Nuggets in Denver.

102. 73. 112. 170. Final

The Charlotte Hornets (27-35) were able to defeat the Denver Nuggets (28-33) as they closed out their six-game west coast road trip with a victory. Kemba Walker led the way but a number of his teammates stepped up to help out. This was one of Charlotte’s most well-rounded games in some time as they had six players score in double figures.

The Hornets were a bit shorthanded as they were without Ramon Sessions (knee surgery), Miles Plumlee (calf strain) and Frank Kaminsky (AC Joint sprain). On the bright side, Cody Zeller returned to the starting lineup for the first time since February 9th. Multiple players also stepped up with the trio of players missing.

Turning Point

After leading 61-52 at the half, the Hornets went on a 15-4 run to start the third quarter as they stretched their lead to a game-high 20 points. Denver made a run midway through the fourth to cut Charlotte’s lead to four but other than that, Steve Clifford’s side never looked back from that 20-point lead they held in the third period.

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Who Stepped Up

Kemba Walker led the Hornets as he finished with a team-high 27 points to go along with four assists and four rebounds. Nicolas Batum added 21 points and eight assists while Marvin Williams recorded a double-double with 14 points and 12 boards. Jeremy Lamb led Charlotte’s second unit as he scored 12.

An unlikely hero came through for the Hornets as Johnny O’Bryant, who’s on a 10-day contract, scored 15 points and grabbed six rebounds in only 15 minutes off the bench. Cody Zeller scored 11 points and had eight boards in his first start since returning from injury.

The Nuggets were led by Nikola Jokic who scored a game-high 31 points to go along with 14 rebounds and four assists. Danilo Gallinari ended the game with 22 points while Jamal Murray‘s 14 points rounded out the double-digit scorers.

Play of the Game:

Tweet of the Game:

"Quick Stings"

  • Nic Batum recorded his 1,000 made three in this one.
  • O’Bryant scored a career-high 15 points.
  • Marvin Williams recorded his fourth double-double of the season.
  • Kemba scored 20+ points for the 42nd time this year.
  • Charlotte shot (16-27) 59.3% from the three-point line.

With the win, the Hornets improved to 1-0 against the Nuggets on the season. This was the first of two meeting as their final matchup will come on March 31st in Charlotte. This is only their 11th road win of the season as they are now 11-22 away from home this year.

Next: It's Time for Steve Clifford to Give Youth a Chance

In their next outing, the Charlotte Hornets will return home to take on the Indiana Pacers for the third time this season. The Queen City and the Spectrum Center will be a welcome sight for Steve Clifford’s side as they have not played at home since before the all-star break. They will be looking to string together consecutive wins for the first time since late January.

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