At the start of the 2025-26 season, the Charlotte Hornets were expected to be one of the weakest teams in the Eastern Conference. Although they still featured some talented players, an underwhelming offseason suggested that the Hornets were cruising for another poor campaign.
With a 4-13 record after the first month, many gave up on this unit. Now, after a dominant 118-89 victory over the Boston Celtics on the road, Charlotte has improved to 32-31 on the season, proving many naysayers wrong in the process.
Things rapidly shifted for the Charlotte Hornets midway through January, effectively reigniting their campaign. With several things falling into place at the right time, we examine some of the impressive feats the ninth-ranked Hornets have achieved since turning their season around.
The Starting Lineup Has Looked Invincible
As mentioned earlier, despite the doubt, the Charlotte Hornets boasted some talented players on their roster. While LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges formed the core, the Hornets benefited from drafting a talented young forward in Kon Knueppel. Paired with the development of Moussa Diabate and Brandon Miller, the Hornets were expected to be interesting.
Unfortunately, the Hornets were hobbled by injuries at different points in the season, preventing them from being at full strength. Now, with all their key players healthy, the best version of the Hornets’ starting lineup has been terrific.
In 31 appearances this season, the rotation of Ball, Miller, Knueppel, Bridges, and Diabate has logged a 28-3 record. To make matters more impressive, this lineup has an offensive rating of 134.9, making it Charlotte’s most effective scoring lineup by a distance.
With a 16-3 record in their last 19 appearances, it is hard to imagine any team slowing Charlotte down at this stage.
Charlotte Hornets Break 67-Year-Old NBA Record
With the win against the Boston Celtics on Wednesday night, Charlotte also accomplished something truly extraordinary. For the first time in 67 years, the Hornets have beaten three championship-winning teams by a margin of more than 20+ points.
Before the win against the Celtics (2024 NBA champions), Charlotte had beaten the Denver Nuggets (2023 NBA champions) 110-87 on Jan. 18.
While a terrific win, less than two weeks before that, the Hornets had pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the season. With a 124-97 win over the reigning champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder, Charlotte effectively stunned NBA fans around the world.
As one of four teams in NBA history to achieve this feat (Fort Wayne Pistons and Rochester Royals), Charlotte’s season is effectively etched in NBA history.
The Hornets Are Tied With The 2017-18 Warriors
There are very few ways to capture how special this campaign has been for the Charlotte Hornets. Still, one stat highlights their latest achievement.
With the win against the Celtics, Charlotte extended its winning streak to six games. However, when factoring in that there was a 15-point differential in each one, they are currently tied with the 2017-18 Golden State Warriors for the second-longest winning streak with such conditions.
The 2017-18 Warriors were arguably one of the best basketball teams ever assembled. Featuring the likes of Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green, that iteration of the Warriors went on to win the NBA title comfortably.
While Charlotte doesn’t inspire the same confidence as a title contender, the current unit certainly possesses the potential to be a threat. Having climbed the ranks of the East over the last few months, Charlotte will undoubtedly be a team to keep an eye on as the playoffs draw nearer.
