Charlotte Hornets: 3 Remaining Must-Win Games
By Jon Shames
T-minus 16 games until the Charlotte Hornets‘ 2014-15 season (potentially) comes to an end.
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With Charlotte sitting in the 10th spot out East, amid yet another one of their forgettable stretches of the year, things don’t look promising.
But then again, you never know.
The Hornets are only one game out of the playoffs, with Boston and Indiana tied for eighth place. Every single game counts at this point, but the Hornets are going to have to make sure to bring their best effort in the big games they have left on their schedule.
Charlotte has seven games left against teams that are in sixth place or higher, but for the most part, those aren’t the ones the Hornets have to mark on their calendar. With a handful of games against the very teams they are trying to beat out for the playoffs, the Hornets have much more to worry about. With that, here are the four most important games left on the team’s schedule.
March 22 @ Minnesota Timberwolves
The 14-52 Timberwolves aren’t making a whole lot of noise these days, even with Kevin Garnett back in town. Still, this game, coming on Sunday, could be the most important one on the Hornets’ schedule.
Charlotte has now lost four of its last five and two in a row, and with each loss, its playoff chances decrease drastically. Unfortunately for the men in teal and purple, the Celtics, Pacers, and Heat are all surging right now, and even one loss could make Charlotte’s ditch too deep.
This contest against Minnesota isn’t a statement game, but it certainly means a lot in the win-loss aspect. This Hornets team has shown a lack of mental confidence throughout the entire season, and hopefully, that trend won’t continue, and the Hornets can pick up a much needed win before they face a hungry Chicago Bulls team in the Windy City.
And hey, it’d be good for Mo Williams to tear up his former team.
March 30 vs. Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are the Hornets’ biggest worry right now.
A team that had been struggling all season somehow exploded in February, and has now fought its way up up to 30-37, despite trading fringe All-Stars like Jeff Green and Rajon Rondo. Jared Sullinger is out for the season as well, but that hasn’t stopped Brad Stevens’ team.
The Celtics are leading the Hornets by one game, and assuming the records are similar when these two clubs face off on March 30, it could be the difference between being down two games to Boston or tying everything up.
The Hornets are 2-1 against the Celtics this year, but Boston took the most recent contest, winning 106-98. The Celtics’ defense has been suffocating as of late, and Charlotte has not responded well to defensive pressure in recent weeks (see: Utah Jazz game). If there’s a time for Charlotte to right the ship, it looks to be this game.
April 7 at Miami Heat
If Miami’s 106-92 rout of the Cleveland Cavaliers sent one message to the rest of the league, it’s that Dwyane Wade will not let his club miss the playoffs.
Playing against former teammate LeBron James, Wade steamrolled the opposition, dropping 32 points on 13-of-18 shooting. This came, mind you, in just 31 minutes of action.
The Heat haven’t been consistently playing at that level, but if that’s a sign of what’s to come, Charlotte is in big, big trouble. Charlotte squares off against the Heat on April 7 in Miami (where the end of last year’s postseason began for the Hornets). Now, the Hornets have played Miami three times, winning twice, but Wade’s mission looks like it’s just beginning.
All of the Hornets’ games against Miami have been nail-biters, with the largest margin of victory being seven points (in a Charlotte home-win on Nov. 5). On paper, it makes sense; both clubs are tough, gritty defensive teams who don’t always get it going on the other end of the court.
Lately, though, Charlotte’s offense has been notoriously awful, and that could be a real issue in their next game against the Heat.
Miami is 31-36, seventh place in the East. A veteran-packed club with a ton of postseason experience obviously wants to get back there, so Charlotte needs to understand and be ready for that.
It’s only going to make things harder.
Next: Charlotte Hornets: Ranking Biggest Threats To Playoff Aspirations
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