This isn’t happening for the 2017-18 Charlotte Hornets.
Even viewed through the most optimistic of prisms, the chase for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference looked over Monday night in the thin air of the Rocky Mountains. This was a game the Hornets could have won; the Nuggets are every bit as fragile as the Hornets have been for much of this season, and the home team was hurting with injuries and illness.
After a 121-104 loss at the Pepsi Center, coach Steve Clifford reminded his players that when a road team is shooting 55 percent from the field and 43 percent from 3-point range, it ought to recognize the possibilities.