The Charlotte Hornets took a big step forward a year ago, as they played gritty defense and put Al Jefferson to work down low en route to a return trip to the playoffs.

Things haven’t gone quite as planned so far in the 2014-15 season, but once at full strength, this Charlotte gang looks to be balanced enough to make it back to the playoffs for the second year in a row.

So far, the absence of Michael Kidd-Gilchrist due to injury has caused their perimeter defense to suffer, while their offense has been among the slowest in the league. In order to turn things around, they’ll have to work on shot selection and overall offensive efficiency, while also staying aggressive on the defensive end.

To see how they’ll begin to do that, let’s break down their cheapest and most expensive games on the Hornets schedule for the month of December:
Cheapest – @ Memphis Grizzlies (12/12/14) | Avg: $56.46 | Get-in: $5

Memphis hosts the Hornets in mid-December for what should be an intense defensive battle. Charlotte has been the poor man’s version of the Grizz, as they try to suffocate opponents with their defense and rely on slow, methodical pace on offense.

Charlotte will need MKG back to really compete in this one, as Memphis has quickly morphed into the best team in the league and is borderline unbeatable on their home floor. It’s a challenge for the Hornets offensively, too, as Memphis plays elite defense and the Hornets just haven’t been clicking on offense yet. Look for Al Jefferson to be leaned on heavily down low as the Hornets try to keep the pace slow in a likely gritty affair.
Most Expensive – @ Cleveland Cavaliers (12/15/14) | Avg: $195.98 | Get-in: $30

The Cleveland Cavaliers usually raise the price of any team’s tickets, but Hornets tickets can still be found at a nice price here, with the average barely climbing up over $195. That’s surprising considering how much star power the Cavs carry, while Cavaliers tickets from Scorebig in general usually hover around $322.

While the price is slightly more than Hornets fans are used to, this game figures to return terrific value thanks to the presence of LeBron James, Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving. The star power is probably enough reason to take this one in live, but the fact that the Hornets could win is a pretty good reason, too.

Cleveland is still trying to figure itself out, so anytime you can face them early in that process, it should give you a good chance of squeaking out a win. Charlotte will still have to execute on offense, however, as the Cavs don’t play great defense but still boast one of the more prolific offenses in the league.
offenses in the league.