The NBA season is about halfway done, coming out of the All-Star break, so it feels like a good time to check in on the Hornets. Just before the All-Star Weekend, they managed a nine-game winning streak, something the Hornets had not done in nearly 30 years. That streak was brought to end with a loss to the Detroit Pistons in a game that also included an on-court brawl that led to the suspension of two players and coach Charles Lee being ejected. WCNC sports director Nick Carboni joined WFAE’s Marshall Terry.
Marshall Terry: That last loss aside, it seems like the Hornets are pretty hot right now. Are they?
Nick Carboni: They are one of the most surprising teams in the NBA this year. By this year, I truly mean this calendar year, 2026, because the first portion of the season, this team was trending towards the bottom of the barrel in terms of the standings, yet again, as we're kind of used to around here. But they've had a remarkable turnaround. They've now won 10 of their last 11 games. They’re back in action Thursday at home and ready to keep the momentum going.
Terry: So what do you think is going on?
Carboni: Defense and health are the two biggest things that come to mind. We’ve got a really significant sample size of watching their star players all on the court at the same time because many of them have been out with injury at various times. They could never really field a complete team. I’m mostly talking about LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller, two All-Stars or should be All-Stars soon in Brandon Miller’s case. Then you fold in the team’s fourth overall pick, Kon Knueppel, who’s been an absolute revelation in the NBA this season and many think could win Rookie of the Year and some think could become the best three-point shooter of all time.
Terry: As I mentioned, their winning streak came to an end last week with a loss to the Pistons and some players were suspended following a brawl during the game. Which players and when will they be back in action?
Carboni: Miles Bridges and Moussa Diabaté, two starting players, were each suspended four games. They’ve already served the first game of that against Atlanta before the All-Star break, and now they serve three more starting Thursday against Houston. They will not be eligible to return until Feb. 24, but like I said, the team already managed to play without them and win a closely contested game last week. They’re going to have some challenges doing that against Houston and Cleveland, and then they finish that four-game stretch at Washington.
It was a brawl that some would argue was ugly — and it could have been a lot uglier had it gone five more feet into the stands. This team, this franchise and this fan base kind of view it as a positive. That may be confusing to some listeners, but it was a “you’re not going to come into our house and bully us” kind of fight against the Pistons, who are the leading team in the East. It could set the tone for the Hornets as the season wraps up over the next couple of months.
Terry: It’s been a decade since the Hornets last made the playoffs. They're on the cusp now. Do you think they'll get over the hump?
Carboni: I think they will make the play-in tournament at least. That was introduced in the last half a decade or so. The Hornets have made it twice. Each conference, the Eastern and Western Conference, just the top eight teams in each conference went to the playoffs. They’ve expanded that out now so that in each conference, teams 7, 8, 9 and 10 at the end of the season play a play-in tournament for spots 7 and 8 in the playoffs for the conference.
Right now, the Hornets are ninth, so they’re solidly in a play-in spot, working their way in there the last couple of weeks with that win streak that you mentioned. I think they have a real shot at getting a top-6 seed in the East, which would mean a solid playoff spot. You don’t have to make your way in via the play-in, but I think getting to the play-in would be a remarkable turnaround for this team. So I like their chances, even if they have to get in the playoffs via the play-in.
