Mudiay Returns, Denver Nuggets Oust Hornets, 95-92

Rookie point guard Emmanuel Mudiay made his return after missing the last fourteen games due to an ankle injury, as the Denver Nuggets took out the Charlotte Hornets at the Pepsi Center on Sunday by a final score of 95-92, handing the visitors their seventh consecutive loss.

Danilo Gallinari led the Denver Nuggets in scoring on Sunday againast Charlotte with 27 points on the night, his fifth consecutive game with 20+ points, while adding 6 rebounds and 1 steal. Emmanuel Mudiay added 11 points in his return from injury. Gary Harris chipped in with 12 points on 4-8 shooting in 36 minutes. The Nuggets were without Kenneth Faried on Sunday, as the forward was absent as he celebrated the birth of a new child.

For Charlotte, Cody Zeller led the way with 15 points and 6 rebounds, while Jeremy Lamb added 15 points, 8 rebounds and 3 steals in 30 minutes off the Hornets bench. Frank Kaminsky also scored 14 points off the bench in 26 minutes.

The Denver Nuggets got off to a great start on Sunday, leading the Hornets by 10 points at 36-26 at the end of the first quarter. While both teams traded baskets for most of the quarter, the Nuggets finished the quarter strong, going on a 17-8 run.

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Charlotte came back in the second period, outscoring the Denver Nuggets 30-17 in the quarter and erasing their 10-point deficit. With 4 minutes left in the quarter, the Hornets got out to a 6-point lead off a Frank Kaminsky layup, making the score 47-41 in favor of the visitors. The Denver Nuggets would regain some momentum to finish out the 2nd, trailing only by 3-points at halftime at 56-53.

The Hornets opened the third quarter with a 3-point shot from Nicolas Batum to stretch their lead back to 6 at 59-53, and a subsequent Cody Zeller basket would make the score 61-53. The Denver Nuggets quickly closed in on the lead, going on a 7-0 run to make the score 61-60 after a Nikola Jokic layup.

With 6:07 left in the third quarter, an Emmanuel Mudiay layup would help the Denver Nuggets reclaim the lead at 68-67. After trading baskets and the lead 3 times in the next two and a half minutes, the game was knotted at 71 after a Danilo Gallinari free-throw. Darrell Arthur sunk a 3-point shot with 3:30 left in the third to give the Denver Nuggets a 3-point lead at 74-71. Denver held a lead at the end of the period at 81-77 going into the final quarter.

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The Hornets would creep closer to open the final quarter of play after a Jeremy Lin free-throw with 10 minutes left made the score 81-80 in favor of the Denver Nuggets. Scores from Jusuf Nurkic, Emmanuel Mudiay and Mike Miller gave the Nuggets a 6-0 run to give the home team an 87-80 lead with 8:37 left.

The Denver Nuggets stretched their lead to 10 points with 5:41 left to 92-82 after a Will Barton basket. A Will Barton 3-pointer a minute later kept the lead at 10 at 95-85, making it look as if the Denver Nuggets would secure a victory at home. Over the next 4+minutes, the Nuggets went scoreless, allowing the Hornets to go on a 7-0 run to give them a shot to tie the game on the final possession. Nicolas Batum missed a 3-pointer that would have sent the game to overtime as time ran out, giving the Nuggets the win.

Though the Denver Nuggets faltered a bit down the stretch, it’s great to see the team hold serve on their home court, and to rally after trailing for a period of the game. Emmanuel Mudiay’s return from injury gives the Nuggets a boost at the point guard position, with the rookie looking more under control and showcasing a refined jumper. After struggling much before his injury, Emmanuel Mudiay’s play on Sunday is encouraging.

Next: Nuggets Falter Late, Fall to Grizzlies 91-84

The Denver Nuggets do not play until Wednesday, as they hope to exact revenge on the Golden State Warriors at the Pepsi Center.

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Emmanuel Mudiay Returns, Denver Nuggets Oust Hornets, 95-92

By Jonathan Savitske | Jan 11, 2016

Rookie point guard Emmanuel Mudiay made his return after missing the last fourteen games due to an ankle injury, as the Denver Nuggets took out the Charlotte Hornets at the Pepsi Center on Sunday by a final score of 95-92, handing the visitors their seventh consecutive loss.

More from Mile High Maniac