31 Jan 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Denver Nuggets Center Nikola Jokic (15) runs to shoot at the Philadelphia 76ers during the second quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Pictures Denver Nuggets will not have a Winless Road Trip, but they would like to return home with more than one victory on the hike.
To do that, they have to take down the host Charlotte Hornets on Saturday night at the last stop of Denver’s five-game road stretch.
Nuggets Doused a seasonal three-game losing line by winning 137-134 on Friday night in Philadelphia, where both teams reached the 30-point mark in each quarter.
Denver resisted 19 sales.
“The turnover has to come down, and let’s have another (Saturday) night and go home and feel good about ourselves,” Nugget’s coach Michael Malone said.
Hornets have a three-game losing line, and they are 1-4 on a nine game home. Interestingly, they have tended to evaluate progress based on the degree of adversity. Friday night’s defeat 112-104 against the Los Angeles Clippers was more encouraging, in coach Charles Lee’s Vantage Point, than Wednesday’s 104-83 loss to Brooklyn Nets.
“I’m actually happy with how we played on both ends of the court,” Lee said of Friday’s performance. “We were right where the whole game, and leaving here tonight is a little different than leaving here a couple of nights ago.”
In the meantime, Denver’s Nikola Jokic was a rebound shy to publish a triple double in Philadelphia and collected 28 points, 13 assists and nine returns.
Still, Saturday can be a test of endurance for Nuggets, which only used eight players on Friday night. Julian Stacher recorded 18 points from the bench to give him nine double -digit scores in January.
“Not only did my coaches have created a lot of confidence for me, but my teammates.” Saidher said. “Constantly encouraging me to go out there and let it tear down. Just understand that we need a buzz from this bench. Of course we have the best starting five in the league.”
Charlotte needs widespread contributions. With Guard Lamelo Ball out with a precursed ankle, wide Miles Bridges has been Charlotte’s leading goal scorer during the last three matches, an average of 25.3 points per competition.
“He’s amazing, and we’re lucky to have him,” Lee said of Bridges. “I’m lucky to be able to train him. When your best players go up to the record, say and do the right things and play the right path for a majority of the game, it becomes contagious.”
Charlotte’s Nick Smith Jr., without the advantage for more established scores around him, has shot a combined 8-for-36 from the field in the last four matches. He was 3-for-12 on Friday night, although he had four matches in 15 or more points earlier in January.
Then there is guard Vasilije Micic, who has emerged as an important contributor this season when ball or others have been missing in the lineup. It is not an easy role to manage or accept.
“He is quite the competitor,” Lee said of Micic, who on average is 7.5 points and 3.5 assists a game. “I’m just super grateful that he’s with us.”
Charlotte has lost four of her last five matchups against teams from the Western Conference. Saturday will mark the first of two meetings between Hornets and Nuggets over a three -week span.
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