The Charlotte Hornets are undefeated in their last three contests. A team, whose playoff hopes dissipated before the calendar turned, is still fighting against teams fighting for a playoff spot. They bested the Dallas Mavericks twice and beat the Oklahoma City Thunder, both of whom currently stands at 37-39 on the year and are 11th and 10th in the Western Conference standings. Every game for them has playoff/play-in implications.
Over the past three games, the Charlotte Hornets are ninth in defensive rating and 14th in offensive rating in the league. For reference, for the year, the Hornets are 30th and 20th respectively. The uptick, even with the multiple injuries sustained, shows that the Hornets are finding their stride.
It’s understandable if winning games after the possibility of a postseason was taken off the table isn’t headline news. But it’s important not to label them as meaningless. For one, the teams the Hornets are playing against are putting out their best lineups to win. Second, these are important minutes for the younger players. 10 of the players on the roster have three or fewer years of NBA experience. The current three-game winning streak is the second-longest of the season for the Hornets.
March 24, 2023: Charlotte Hornets @ Dallas Mavericks
The Hornets jumped out to an immediate lead in the first quarter. They dropped 37 points and did it as a well-rounded team. Of the 14 field goals made in the quarter, 11 of them were assisted. And five different players scored at least six points in the first period. The Hornets kept the foot on the gas and got the lead to as much as 18 in the second quarter before the Mavs pulled the game closer right before halftime.
The Hornets trailed only once in this game, on Luka Dončić’s opening midrange jumper. That isn’t to say the game was easy for the visitors, after having a double-digit lead for a large part of the contest, the Mavs cut the lead to a single point on a Jayden Hardy layup with just over eight minutes remaining in the game.
After Hardy brought the score to 97-96, the Hornets went on a 10-0 run that would essentially put the game away, despite the Mavs making a valiant effort as the game closed. Gordon Hayward and PJ Washington packed most of the scoring punch, combining for 53 points, and Hayward dished out his season-high nine assists.
But it wasn’t just the usual suspects with the contributions. Mark Williams, playing for the first time in several games following his thumb injury, came off the bench and scored 13 points and grabbed eight rebounds in 21 minutes of play. His replacement, starting center Nick Richards, had a double-double with 10 points and 11 assists. Every starter scored in double figures, including Dennis Smith Jr. (13)—who hit a huge three late to help seal the win against the team that drafted him.
March 26, 2023 Dallas Mavericks @ Charlotte Hornets
The Hornets started off with another sizable lead in this first quarter as well, but instead of just scoring their way to it. They defended like crazy. They held the Mavs to 16.7% shooting from the field, the lowest of any opponent Charlotte has faced in any quarter this season. The defense would be a theme that Sunday. The 104 points the Mavs scored were less than their 113-point average. Quite a feat against the NBA’s sixth-most efficient offense.
After a slow start, Dončić was determined not to have the Mavs drop their fourth-straight game. He put up 40 points on 7/16 shooting from behind the arc. When the lead looked like it was going to balloon out of control at the tail end of the half, he scored or assisted on 19 of the Mavs 21 points to finish the half and get the Hornets’ lead to a manageable seven points. Back in the starting rotation, Williams notched his eighth double-double of the season with 15 points and 16 rebounds.
Washington dropped 21 points and 12 rebounds for his third double-double of the season, while Hayward once again led all Hornets in scoring with 22. The game was his 50th of the season, marking the first time he has hit the milestone while wearing a Hornets jersey.
March 28, 2023 Charlotte Hornets @ Oklahoma City Thunder
This game started out mildly considering the scoring binge both teams would go on later. Outside of Josh Giddey’s 11-point surge to start, no other player from either team scored more than seven points. The 26-23 score at the end of the first quarter was a nip and tuck affair that saw several lead changes, a lead wrestled away at the end of the period by a Svi Mykhailiuk layup.
In fact, the game was largely controlled by the Thunder, keeping the Hornets at bay, but still within striking distance, powered by an explosive 45-point second quarter. Jalen Williams, on his way to his second 30+ scoring game of the season (and month), dropped 17 points on 5/6 shooting from the field and a perfect six trips to the free-throw line. At the end of the third, the Thunder were clinging to a 99-93 lead.
Then the fourth quarter happened. Or, more accurately put, PJ Washington happened. He scored 22 points on the way to setting a new career-high with 43 points. He shot a dazzling 8/11 from the field with three of those coming from behind the arc. Théo Maledon had eight of his season-high 19 in the fourth as well.
Just as impressive was the way the Hornets finished the game. Tied at 132, Charlotte scored six points—two each from Nick Richards, JT Thor, and Mykhailiuk. It was the perfect encapsulation of what this team has become. No one had these young men contributing in high-leverage situations like these. They weren’t supposed to be in the rotation at the start of the year. Much less on the floor, competing with a team attempting to get into the postseason. Yet here they were, gaining valuable experience and confidence. T The Hornets are doing themselves a world of good that could be felt next season with these final moments of the regular season.