Charlotte Hornets Five Best Games

Nov 7, 2014; Charlotte, NC, USA; Charlotte Hornets mascot Hugo waves the flag on the court prior to the start of the game against the Atlanta Hawks at Time Warner Cable Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports

The 2014-15 Charlotte Hornets season did not end in a NBA championship or Finals appearance, but it still had its share of memorable games. Swarm and Sting is counting down the five best games played this year.

The criteria is simple, which games were the most entertaining, most uplifting, or featured the greatest performances by a member of the team. The only restriction is that the game must have ended in a Charlotte victory.

After all, it cannot be a great game if the Hornets lose.

First, some honorable mentions:

December 12, 2014 – Double overtime loss to the Memphis Grizzlies.

This was a great game. For Charlotte to walk into the home arena of a Western Conference powerhouse like Memphis and take them into double overtime was uplifting. Gary Neal, of all people, was the almost-hero of this one. His best game this season, he scored 25 points.

Kemba Walker also added 28 points and seven assists while playing over 48 minutes. Ultimately, though, the Grizzlies pulled this one out, and the Hornets would continue through a 1-16 stretch in the early part of the season, including a horrid, effortless smashing by the Brooklyn Nets the very next day.

November 11, 2014 – Loss to Portland Trailblazers 

This is another game in that brutal stretch to start the season. Charlotte walked into one of the toughest places to play in the NBA, Portland, Oregon, and immediately jumped all over the Trailblazers.

Lance Stephenson led the charge, scoring 14 points and grabbing 14 rebounds as five different Hornets scored in double figures. However, as the game wore on, the Trailblazers would rally, and eventually subdue Charlotte in the fourth quarter.

This was another game among a string of close losses in that early  losing streak, and you have to wonder how different the season might have been if a few of those games would have gone the Hornets way.

Next: Double Overtime Against Atlanta