NBA Power Rankings: 14. Charlotte Hornets (10-8)
Last week: (3-1) – vs. GSW (W), vs. WAS (W), vs. IND (W), @ ATL (L)
Rank last week: 19
Offensive rating: 109.2 (9th in NBA)
Defensive rating: 109.7 (25th in NBA)
The Charlotte Hornets started the season off hot, went very cold, and then proceeded to get hot again. The weird part about it is, they got hot for very different reasons.
At the beginning of the year, their offense was on fire. Miles Bridges began his campaign for Most Improved Player, and the team couldn’t miss from three-point range.
However, over this last stretch, their defense has really taken over. They have been clamping up opposing teams, including Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors.
Amidst all of that, Bridges and LaMelo Ball are quickly becoming one of the best young duos in the league. The Hornets are a very, very fun team to watch.
Season outlook: Charlotte will be aiming for the playoffs this year, and they certainly have the talent to get there. The East is very tough, but they should be a play-in team at the very least. They’ll probably end up around the 6-8 seed in the Eastern Conference.