Hornets vs. Bucks 

Charlotte Hornets vs. Milwaukee Bucks 

Thursday, February 29, 2024 at 7:00 p.m.

Spectrum Center
333 E Trade St.
Charlotte, NC 28202

Tickets: $27 plus 

The Hornets will host the Bucks at Spectrum Center for the second time in three days, following Tuesday night’s 123-85 drubbing by Milwaukee. Despite the loss, the new-look Hornets are 5-2 in their last seven games, and Thursday’s matchup will be the first home game since February 14, after completing a four-game road trip post-All-Star break. 

Charlotte also signed free agent forward/center Aleksej Pokusevski this week, after he was waived by the Oklahoma City Thunder. Pokusevski was the 17th overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, and appeared in 150 games in four seasons with the Thunder. The 22-year old Serbia native will join Davis Bertans, Tre Mann, and Vasilije Micic as former Thunder players on the roster.

The Hornets will wear their Classic Edition uniforms for the Anniversary Night, a design that echoes the second-generation uniforms from 1997-2002, celebrating 35 years of professional basketball in Charlotte.

The first 5,000 fans in attendance will receive nesting dolls featuring a trio of Hornets guards who all wore the No.1 (LaMelo Ball, Baron Davis, and Muggsy Bogues). Thursday night is also Feastables Night, promoting official jersey patch sponsor and snack company, Feastables, owned by YouTube superstar Mr. Beast. There will be Feastables-themed in-game activations, contests, and candy parachute drops with the first 500 fans purchasing a Feastables chocolate bar receiving access to take a shot on the Hornets court post-game. 

LaMelo Ball ⏩ Baron Davis ⏩ Muggsy Bogues

The first 5,000 fans at tomorrow night’s game will receive a Hornets nesting doll!

🎟️ : https://t.co/qLL9wtokpF pic.twitter.com/554xhnyEGR

— Charlotte Hornets (@hornets) February 28, 2024

What to watch for: 

The Milwaukee Bucks rank fourth in the NBA in offensive rating (119.1), and third in efficient field goal percentage (57.5), scoring almost exclusively from the paint and three-point line. 

The Hornets were out-matched in Tuesday night’s game against the Bucks, as Milwaukee grabbed 14 more rebounds, and 18 more points in the paint than Charlotte. The Hornets will need to box-out and rebound more effectively, if they want to avoid a season series sweep. 

Bucks guard Andre Jackson Jr. and forward MarJon Beauchamp are listed as day-to-day (illness). Bucks forward Khris Middleton will not play (ankle), and Giannis Antetokounmpo (knee) is listed as probable for Thursday night’s game. 

LaMelo Ball (ankle) and Mark Williams (back) remain out for the Hornets. 

Inside the Numbers:

• Brandon Miller has made 120 three-pointers this season, the most by a Hornets rookie in franchise history.
• Cody Martin recorded 11 points and a career-high 10 assists in Sunday’s win over Portland, the second double-double of his career.
• Nick Richards recorded 21 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks in the win against Portland, the fourth 20-10 game of his career.

Jeremy Grandison is a Charlotte native and contributing sports writer for CLTure. He also hosts his own podcast, Lock It or Leave It.

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