A playoff push isn’t out of the question for the Charlotte Hornets. Can the team climb the ranks of the Eastern Conference and recover their season?
There’s no debating that this season has been disappointing for the Charlotte Hornets and their fans. Outside of the stellar play of All-Star Kemba Walker, there hasn’t been much to celebrate. Most every other player, like the team as a whole, has disappointed for long stretches of the year.
All is not lost in the Queen City, however. As tumultuous as this season has been up to this point, the Hornets are picking up a little steam. Having won their last two and regaining the services of long-missed Cody Zeller, Charlotte is trending upwards. It is the slightest bit of momentum but it may be just enough for this team.
As hard as it may be to believe, the Hornets still have a realistic chance to make the playoffs. The team only sits three games back of both the Detroit Pistons and the Chicago Bulls and if Kemba and company can keep this up, their season may just be salvaged.
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While many may want the team to tank as opposed to making a late postseason push, you have to remember that these are competitive professionals who don’t want to lose as their main goal before the year was to make the playoffs.
The team will have to overcome a fairly difficult schedule over the next month. Featuring six games against teams in the playoff hunt, including the Cleveland Cavaliers (3-0 this season against the Hornets), securing a postseason berth will not be easy.
The team will certainly need the continued production of Walker, but the rest of the team will need to step up if a second straight playoff appearance is in order. Something that hasn’t been done in Charlotte since 2000-2002.
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Stringing together a few wins would do a lot for their position in the Eastern Conference. It would give them something that they have been lacking in both confidence and momentum. It would also help give their fans renewed hope that a possible playoff run could be in store if they get there.