DENVER vs CHARLOTTE 12/7/2018 Odds, Picks & Preview

The DENVER and the CHARLOTTE will both be gunning for a victory on 12/7/2018 at 7:05 PM when they meet in a game matchup.

DENVER NUGGETS vs CHARLOTTE HORNETS
When: 7:00 PM  ET, Friday, December 7, 2018
Where: Spectrum Center, Charlotte, North Carolina

TV: 7:05 PM
LINE: 1
PREDICTION: CHARLOTTE , DENVER

Oddsmakers currently have the CHARLOTTE listed as 1 point favorites versus the DENVER, while the game’s total is sitting at 218.

The Denver Nuggets look to extend their season-best winning streak to eight games when they visit the Charlotte Hornets on Friday. The streaking Nuggets recorded a 124-118 overtime victory against the Orlando Magic on Wednesday to push their Western Conference-best record to 17-7.

Denver has notched five consecutive road victories, including the first three on the current five-game swing, but had to outplay Orlando in the extra session to collect Wednesday’s triumph. “Even in light of it not being a great performance, giving up 20 3s, allowing them to force overtime, we didn’t drop our heads,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone told reporters afterward. “I give our guys a lot of credit. They still went out there in the fourth quarter — in overtime rather — and won the game, which is not easy to do under those circumstances.” The Hornets are striving to break out of a slump as Wednesday’s 121-104 road loss against the Minnesota Timberwolves was their third straight defeat and fifth in six games. “Our margin for error is very small. We have to be perfect,” Charlotte coach James Borrego told reporters. “We have to be executing, especially against a team like this that is so talented and so deep.”

TV: 7 p.m. ET, Altitude (Denver), FS Southeast (Charlotte)

ABOUT THE NUGGETS (17-7): Point guard Jamal Murray scored 31 points against Orlando for his highest output since his epic 48-point performance against the Boston Celtics on Nov. 5. Murray topped 20 points in four of the past five games and boasts a team-best 17.9 points per game. Center Nikola Jokic contributed 12 points, 13 assists and eight rebounds against the Magic and is averaging 14 assists over the past two games while posting seven outings of 10 or more this season.

ABOUT THE HORNETS (11-13): Forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist figures to again be in the starting lineup in place of injured Marvin Williams and he produced nine points and five rebounds in 23 minutes in the loss to Minnesota. “He had a lot of energy. He helps us in transition and defensively, he’s very active,” Borrego told reporters of Kidd-Gilchrist. “I think it was a good start for him. He’s very comfortable with that first unit. Overall, a pretty good performance by him.” Guard Jeremy Lamb continues to play well as he had 18 points and 11 rebounds for his fifth career double-double as well as scoring in double digits for a career-best 16th straight time.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. The teams split last season’s two meetings with the home team winning by 17 points on each occasion.

2. Denver SG Gary Harris (hip) will miss his second straight game.

3. Williams (shoulder) will sit out for the second consecutive contest and could miss another week.

PREDICTION: Nuggets 104, Hornets 102

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