Swarm and Sting
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Charlotte Hornets NBA schedule release: 2 tough road trips

By Shawn Simmons

PHOENIX, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 24: Deandre Ayton #22 of the Phoenix Suns and Cody Zeller #40 of the Charlotte Hornets jump for the opening tip during the first half of the NBA game at Phoenix Suns Arena on February 24, 2021 in Phoenix, Arizona. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 24: Deandre Ayton #22 of the Phoenix Suns and Cody Zeller #40 of the Charlotte Hornets jump for the opening tip during the first half of the NBA game at Phoenix Suns Arena on February 24, 2021 in Phoenix, Arizona. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /
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On Wednesday, fans got a glimpse at the Charlotte Hornets‘ schedule for the second half of the 2020-21 NBA season. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this season was reduced to 72 games, running from December 22 through May 16. The first part of the schedule was released in early December. The second half of the NBA season will be after the six-day All-Star break from March 5 to 10.

The Hornets (15-16) are currently two games into their first road trip of the season. The Hornets were defeated by the Utah Jazz on Monday 132-110 but bounced back on Wednesday for a signature win against the Phoenix Suns 124-121.

The Hornets return to action tonight in their third game of six games in ten nights on the road against the Golden State Warriors. The Hornets defeated the Warriors 102-100 on February 20 after Steph Curry left the game right before tipoff feeling ill. Following tonight’s game against the Warriors, the Hornets have games versus the Sacramento Kings and the Portland Trail Blazers (10:30 pm EST, NBA TV) before finishing the road trip against the Minnesota Timberwolves on March 3.

The Charlotte Hornets face a 5-game mid-March road trip against tough Western Conference opponents

The Hornets will begin a 5-game, 8-night trip against West Conference opponents on March 17 against the Denver Nuggets. This is the first time the Hornets and Nuggets have faced each other this season. Denver is talented top to bottom and plays excellent team ball. Nuggets center Nikola Jokić is playing the best basketball of his NBA career averaging 26.9 points, 10.9 rebounds, and 8.4 assists per game, and was voted in as an All-Starter for the West Conference.

The Hornets will then travel to Los Angles to face the 2019-20 NBA Champion L.A. Lakers for the first time this season on March 18. This first Hornets/Lakers matchup featuring rookie LaMelo Ball and LeBron James will be televised on NBATV. The Hornets will have a day off before they return to the STAPLES Center on March 20 to face the L.A. Clippers.

The Hornets will conclude this road trip by facing two teams they have already played this season. The Hornets travel to San Antonio to face a scrappy Spurs team on March 22. The Spurs defeated the Hornets 122-110 on February 14. The last game of this 5-game trip will be in Houston where the Hornets will face the Rockets. The Hornets defeated the Rockets 119-94 in Charlotte on February 8.

The Charlotte Hornets kick off April with a 5-game road trip, including four against top Eastern Conference teams

In the Hornets’ third game of the season, the team notched their first win of the season at home against the Brooklyn Nets 106-104. The Hornets will travel to Brooklyn for a rematch on April 1 (7:30 pm EST, TNT). The Hornets certainly caught the Nets off guard back in December, but they shouldn’t play the fool on April Fool’s Day, this Nets’ team will be a tough outing for the Hornets. This will be the first time that the Hornets have faced James Harden as a member of the Nets.

In the second night of a back-to-back, the Hornets will travel to Indiana to face the Pacers on April 2. The Pacers were short-handed the first time they faced the Hornets this season in Charlotte on January 27, managing to defeat the Hornets 116-106 without T.J Warren and new acquisition, Caris LeVert but the Hornets rebounded two nights later defeating the Pacers 108-105.

On April 4, the Hornets travel to Boston for the first of three meetings this season against the Celtics. This will be Gordon Hayward‘s first game in Boston since leaving the Celtics to sign with the Hornets this past offseason. The Celtics have struggled so far this season, but they have the talent capable of making a run to claim a top spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs.

The Hornets will have two days off before they face the Thunder in Oklahoma City. The Hornets lost a disappointing game in their second contest of the season against the Thunder on December 26 and will be looking to avenge that loss.

This rough stretch of 5 games on the road will conclude on April 9 against Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks. The Hornets defeated the Bucks in their only meeting so far this season on January 30 at home 126-114.

These two tough road trips the Hornets will endure during the second half of the season could determine whether or not Charlotte will return to the playoffs for the first time since the 2015-16 season or find themselves in their fifth straight return to the lottery.

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