The Hornets’ drubbing of the Celtics at TD Garden Wednesday night was a statement win. Charlotte extended its winning streak to six games and, more notably, got over .500 for the first time since its 2–1 start to the season.
In late January, the Hornets were 16–28. It looked like another year where Charlotte would punt toward the future and the draft lottery. But, only 42 days later, the Hornets are 32–21 and firmly in the Eastern Conference playoff picture as one of the NBA’s most exciting teams.
With the win over Boston, the Hornets moved to just 2 1/2 behind the 76ers, who are in position for the No. 6 seed as the first team out of the East’s play-in purgatory. Charlotte is 1 1/2 games back of both the Magic and the Heat who are No. 7 and No. 8, respectively.
Although the Hornets have been on fire since the win streak began on Feb. 22, they haven’t exactly played the best opponents with wins over the Wizards, Bulls, Pacers, Trail Blazers and Mavericks. A pounding of the Celtics, currently the No. 2 seed in the East, is a totally different story. It’s only a regular-season game, but Charlotte proved its for real—maybe as soon as this year.
With that in mind, let’s dive into the NBA’s hottest team and what’s made this recent stretch so special.
What sparked the Hornets’ remarkable turnaround?
To put it simply, Charlotte’s high-powered offense is difficult for any opponent to keep up with. Over the current winning streak, the Hornets’ offense is far and away the best across the league. If you zoom out to the entire season, Charlotte’s offense is still near the top of the NBA. Its offensive rating of 117.6 is behind only the Nuggets, Celtics and Knicks.
If there’s one thing about facing the Hornets, you better take and make your threes to have a chance. On the season, Charlotte has connected on its threes at a 37.8% clip while taking 42.2 attempts per game. Both are top-five marks across the league and on the current heater, the shooting display has reached an even higher level.
Here’s how the Hornets have ranked as a unit across the NBA in key stats since Feb. 22 when the win streak began:
| Stat | Hornets’ mark | Rank amongst all NBA teams |
|---|---|---|
| Points per game | 123.8 | T-1st |
| Three-point percentage | 44.6% | 1st |
| True shooting percentage | 63.2% | 1st |
| Effective field goal percentage | 61.3% | 1st |
| Offensive rating | 127.1 | 1st |
| Defensive rating | 103.3 | 5th |
| Net rating | 23.8 | 1st |
Why the Hornets’ six-game winning streak is historic
Charlotte hasn’t just been beating its opponents, the Hornets are beating them badly.
Each of the wins over the current streak has been by 15 or more points. That’s the longest streak of wins by 15 or more points since the 2017-18 Warriors (who won the title). It’s tied for the second longest streak in NBA history, only trailing the 2003-04 Pistons, another team who went onto win the title. Detroit holds the NBA record for most wins in a row by 15 or more with eight. Charlotte can reach or exceed that in its upcoming games against Miami, Phoenix and Portland.
— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) March 5, 2026
The key players to Charlotte’s success
Charlotte’s core of Brandon Miller, LaMelo Ball and rookie sharpshooter Kon Knueppel is legit. The offensive-minded trio looks like it can take the franchise to heights never before seen. The Hornets have never made it to the conference finals and while this group likely isn’t ready to take that step yet, they very well could get there sooner than expected.
You can loop Miles Bridges into Charlotte’s “core” group, but Miller and Knueppel’s arrival coupled with Ball’s health this season has allowed the Hornets to take a huge step forward. Knueppel, the No. 4 pick in the 2025 NBA draft, leads the NBA in three-pointers made—not just among rookies, across all players in the league. He already smashed the rookie record for three-pointers, shooting an incredible 43.5% from deep on eight attempts per game.
While Knueppel is the standout shooter, Miller and Ball are both solid from three-point range on high volume as well. Miller has connected on a career-best 37.7% of his 8.4 three-point attempts per game, while Ball has hit 36.3% of his 9.4 attempts a night. All three can create their own shot, too. While Ball remains one of the niftiest playmakers in the NBA, Miller and Knueppel move well with and without the ball in their hands, creating endless possibilities for coach Charles Lee’s offense.
One strong shooter who can get up 10 threes a night is difficult to keep up with, but how about three?
I’d be remiss not to mention Moussa Diabaté who has been an extremely effective big man for Charlotte, plus rookie Ryan Kalkbrenner off the bench. Veteran Grant Williams returned from injury in early January and he’s been good, too, averaging 7.4 points in less than 20 minutes per game while shooting 37.3% from three.
The depth is there, especially with the recent arrival of Coby White at the trade deadline. Although Charlotte remains ninth place in the East, with how they’re playing right now, no team wants to see the Hornets in the playoffs.
More NBA on Sports Illustrated
Listen to SI’s NBA podcast, Open Floor, below or on Apple and Spotify. Watch the show on SI’s YouTube channel.
- As NBA Looks to Solve Tanking, League’s Worst Teams Post Remarkable Losing Streak
- Kevin Durant Credits NBA’s Bemoaned Salary Cap Rules for Thrilling Playoff Race
- ‘I’m Not Dirty’: Lu Dort Rejects Label but Takes Accountability for Flagrant Foul That Set Off Nikola Jokić
- Mics Caught LeBron James’s Powerful Postgame Message to Zion Williamson
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Inside the Numbers of the Hornets' Six-Game Winning Streak.
