NBA legend Charles Barkley has had plenty of questionable remarks as an analyst over the years. However, his belief in the Charlotte Hornets’ capability of reaching this year’s play-in tournament might be something the team’s fans can go along with.
In a recent “Inside the NBA” broadcast, Barkley asserted that the Hornets are making the play-in. He actually declared first that the squad will reach the playoffs before emphatically guaranteeing that it will secure at least a play-in berth. He even told Ernie Johnson, “Write it down on your little paper,” after his co-host expressed incredulity with his vow.
The problem the Hornets faithful could have now is that the team might have been afflicted by the infamous “Chuck curse.” One of Barkley’s predictions that fell flat was his guarantee that the Cleveland Cavaliers would reach the NBA Finals last season.
Charlotte, though, has a chance to break the curse, as it seems the stars are aligning for the franchise to make the leap this year.
Hornets are on a roll, and people are noticing
Unlike other analysts or broadcasters, Sir Charles looks like he watches Hornets basketball. Sure, the club caught a stray when he said about its recent win over the Washington Wizards, “If you went to this game, you had nothing to do today.” But that might have been a shot at the Wizards, who stared down a massive deficit in the fourth quarter before they mounted a rally late in the contest.
Some people, such as Bill Simmons, have concurred that Charlotte has become must-watch TV. Not only has it played an entertaining brand of basketball when the main guys are healthy, but it has also showcased its ability to compete against any opponent, including a couple of the Western Conference’s top seeds.
After the Hornets’ win over Washington on Saturday, which they desperately needed, they now have an 18-28 record and are just 3.5 games behind the 10th-place Atlanta Hawks. The squad ahead of them in the standings, the Milwaukee Bucks, could soon be out of the picture due to Giannis Antetokounmpo’s unfortunate injury that will take him out for several weeks.
That means the only teams the Hornets might have to worry about to secure a play-in berth are the Chicago Bulls and Atlanta Hawks. Both of them are currently on a winning streak. But what Charlotte has going for it is that it boasts a positive average point differential of +0.5, while the Bulls are -1.8 and the Hawks are -1.3.
Only time will tell whether Buzz City will experience postseason atmosphere for the first time since 2022. Let’s hope the Hornets can live up to Barkley’s guarantee.