You'd be hard-pressed to find a team that's more exciting than the Charlotte Hornets right now. However, they're currently outside of the playoff race, and they'll have a decent amount of work to do to be in the hunt.
The eye test looks fantastic. The numbers suggest greatness is on the way. The talent is undeniable.
And yet, here we are at the half way mark of the NBA season, and the Charlotte Hornets hold a 15-26 record, and four games behind the Chicago Bulls – who hold the final position for the NBA Play-In.
So, what gives?
NBA Analyst Kirk Goldsberry of The Ringer posts “efficiency charts” every week that highlights the NBA’s highest performing squads in net, offensive and defensive ratings.
In Friday’s efficiency chart, Goldsberry has the Hornets ranked as the second-best net team, first in offense, and 17th in defense.
There’s certainly a lot to unpack in those ratings, so let’s get to the fun part out of the way.
Charlotte ranking first in offense is hardly something we’re used to seeing, so that alone holds a significant amount of merit. Currently, there are five Hornets that average 15 points per game or more, and four that average 19 or more.
The Hornets are also fifth in the NBA 3-point shooting, shooting 37.3%, four percentage points higher than its 2024 total.
Rookie Kon Knueppel has taken the league by storm, by setting rookie records. He made 137 3-pointers in his first career 40 games, where no rookie has ever hit 100 3s in their first 40 games.
Currently, Knueppel is also on pace to shatter the rookie record in most 3s for a season – a record that Keegan Murray holds, by draining 206 3s in the 2022-23 season.
Beyond Knueppel, LaMelo Ball is starting to show his true value.
It’s not an exaggeration. We know the talent that Ball possesses. It was his availability that has halted his career trajectory. He only played more than 60 games in a season just once, and that was in his sophomore season.
Currently, if all holds up, Ball is on pace to play more than 60. However, given his history we’ll continue to hold our breath to see if his availability stays consistent.
Additionally with the duo of Knueppel and Ball, pairing them with Brandon Miller and Miles Bridges has turned out to be an all-around success.
In a minimum of 200 minutes played, that foursome has the fifth highest offensive rating. The first four are foursomes from the Denver Nuggets.
Now onto the negatives… and that’s closing games.
Given how explosive Charlotte has been, the record should be a lot better than the standings suggest. Yet, the late-game lapses are truly what’s holding this team back from it’s true potential.
But here’s the problem: the Hornets’ opponent average scoring margin is +0.1 which is the tightest margin in all of the league.
Not just that, they allow on average 30 points per game in the third quarter which is eighth worst, and 28 points per game in the fourth quarter, which is 11th-worst.
Defense isn’t an overtly pressing issue as Charlotte is around the league average of points allowed per game, but it needs to fix its perimeter defense as it holds the third-worst 3-point defense.
Opposing teams are shooting 37.5% from beyond the arc.
The excitement behind the Hornets is real, as this team is as talented as anyone in the league. But it’s impossible to ignore the importance of closing games.
Charlotte’s a young team, so even though Hornets fans may be tired of yet another “rebuild,” you’re starting to see significant growth in most facets of the game. The close outs will come.