The Charlotte Hornets (7-23; 13-17-0 ATS) are still on the road to ring in the new year. Their journey takes them to Ball Arena on Monday, home of the defending champion Denver Nuggets (23-11; 15-19-0 ATS). The January 1, 2024 contest is scheduled to start at 9:00 p.m. EDT. The Nuggets have won four in a row against the Hornets. Is the streak going to continue, or are the Hornets ready to take steps forward in 2024?
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Charlotte ended 2023 with 10 straight losses, the longest active streak to close the year. The last three came on the West Coast, as the most recent was a 14-point defeat in Phoenix. All of them have come without LaMelo Ball, while Gordon Hayward and Mark Williams are also out for Charlotte. Those absences are an issue for a team that's 26th in offensive rating. The Hornets average the fewest free throw attempts per game and rank 25th in true shooting percentage. Their efficiency is below average in all areas of the floor. Along with that, Charlotte is subpar with ball security and offensive rebounding. They've only reached 110 points four times during the losing streak, and Monday presents another tough test.
Charlotte is ranked last in defensive rating, so don't expect them to make up for offensive deficiencies on the other end of the floor. They allow the highest three-point percentage and effective fie ld goal percentage in the NBA. They're 24th in defensive rebounding percentage, so teams often get extra chances too. If there's any silver lining, the Hornets held Denver to 102 points on December 23. It was their best performance during this losing streak. Still, things are ugly on the defensive end in Charlotte.