Charlotte Hornets vs Utah Jazz Prediction & Match Preview - December 20th, 2021 | NBA Season 2021-22

The Charlotte Hornets will lock horns with the Utah Jazz at the Vivint Arena on Monday, December 20. This will be the first encounter between the two teams this season.

Coming into the game, the Charlotte Hornets suffered a blowout loss against the Phoenix Suns. A total of 9 players from the Suns scored 10 points or more to lead Phoenix to their twenty-fourth win of the season. Charlotte will be hoping to bounce back from that defeat and put in a great performance at the Vivint.

Meanwhile, the Jazz come into the game after suffering their ninth loss of the season against the Wizards. Donovan Mitchell scored 32 points, but his efforts were not enough to help lead the team to a win. He will be hoping to deliver a good performance at home and help the Jazz solidify their position in the West.

Match Details

Fixture: Charlotte Hornets vs Utah Jazz | NBA Season 2021-22

Date & Time: Monday, December 20, 10:00 PM ET [Tuesday, December 21, 7:30 AM IST]

Venue: Vivint Arena, Salt Lake City, UT

Charlotte Hornets Preview

Charlotte Hornets v Phoenix Suns

The Charlotte Hornets have been looking good this season. Despite being short-handed due to injuries of late, the team has performed well. They hold a 16-16 record and sit at ninth position in the East. The Hornets have some extremely talented players like LaMelo Ball, Miles Bridges and Terry Rozier, who have all stepped up for the team this year. Facing up against the Jazz is not going to be easy for the young team. However, the franchise has shown a lot of grit and determination this season, which will help them in this game on the road.

Key Player - LaMelo Ball

LaMelo Ball is one of the most exciting young players in the NBA. His handles and ability to shoot the ball have helped him get a lot of appreciation from the NBA community. The youngest of the three Ball brothers also has extremely terrific court vision, which helps him be the number one facilitator for his teammates. The 20-year-old recently made his return from Covid. He will be hoping to get his groove on and put on a show against the Jazz on Monday.

Charlotte Hornets Predicted Lineup

G - LaMelo Ball, G - Terry Rozier, F - Gordon Hayward, F - Miles Bridges, C - Mason Plumlee

Utah Jazz Preview

Utah Jazz v Washington Wizards

The Utah Jazz have lived up to all the expectations laid upon them as they hold a 20-9 record and sit at the third position in the West. Utah has been great on both ends of the floor and also stands third in 3-point shooting efficiency in the league.

They have kept their core intact and this is helping them go strong and produce some positive results. Going into the game against the Hornets, the team will be hoping to put an end to their two-game losing streak. Players like Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert are going to be key in this matchup, as the Hornets are not an easy team to beat.

Key Player - Rudy Gobert

Rudy Gobert has been playing extremely well this season. The Frenchman is averaging 15.1 PPG, 14.8 RPG and 2.3 BPG throughout the 29 games he has played. He leads the league in rebounds and stands second in blocks just behind Myles Turner.

His ability to protect the rim will be key for the Jazz, as the Hornets have some brilliant rim attackers like Miles Bridges and LaMelo Ball. Charlotte is also one of the best offensive teams in the league. Rudy will be keen to bring his best defensive performance when he takes the floor to prevent the Hornets from doing any damage on Utah's home court.

Utah Jazz Predicted Lineup

G - Donovan Mitchell, G - Joe Ingles, F - Bojan Bogdanovic, F - Royce O'Neale, C - Rudy Gobert

Hornets vs Jazz Match Prediction

The Hornets and Jazz are both extremely talented sides. Both teams have been fun to watch this season. The game will certainly be a close one, but considering the players on both teams, the Jazz have the better chance of coming out with a win.

Where to watch the Hornets vs Jazz game?

All NBA games will be available on the official NBA app on a subscription basis. The Hornets vs Jazz game will also be locally telecast on Fox Sports Southeast and AT&T SportsNet.