CHARLOTTE — Whether NBA fans want to admit it or not, there’s a buzz humming out East in the Queen City — a star-studded 123-121 Texas duel against the Dallas Mavericks just proved it.
Winners of five straight, the Charlotte Hornets head into Saturday’s 3 p.m. matchup on Amazon Prime against Victor Wembanyama on a hot streak.
Kon Kneuppel stamped his storybook rookie campaign on Thursday night with 34 points against his former Duke teammate and No. 1 overall pick.
Flagg’s 49 points were the backdrop of a massive Charlotte win, punctuated by his missed potential game-winner as Knueppel authored the night’s defining moment that culminated with two of the league’s youngest and brightest stars going toe-to-toe.
Brandon Miller’s stellar performance alongside the usual theatrics from LaMelo Ball should put to rest any offseason trade rumors about trading the franchise’s cornerstone floor general.
Not to mention the efficiency off the bench from players like Josh Green and Ryan Kalkbrenner, who have shown this team might really be in a groove.
Unlike Hornets rosters of the past, this squad feels like it has obtained a level of unity and cohesion under head coach Charles Lee. Players feel purposeful and are thriving in their roles.
Even off-shooting nights from Collin Sexton and Sion James on Thursday against the Mavs didn’t drag down an offense that has been the sixth-most efficient in the NBA this past month.
While 21-28 and No. 11 in the Eastern Conference are unimpressive on paper, the eye test will tell you Charlotte is a team on the rise.
They caught the eye of the league after a historic 37-point blowout over the Philadelphia 76ers in a hastily assembled early tip-off home game. At one point, the Hornets led by 50.
The small crowd that made it out to the Spectrum Center on Monday gathered in the lower section of the arena, as there weren’t enough fans to fill the upper decks.
There might be empty seats now, but don’t expect that trend to continue as the Hornets are showing signs of life within their young core.
Miller had 23 points over the Mavericks and helped double-team Flagg on the crucial final possession to force a miss and win the game.
With the Hornets finally playing meaningful basketball for the first time in a very long time, it finally gives fans something to root for — and these young hoopers, something to play for.
With the 18th hardest-ranked strength of schedule according to Tankathon, the Hornets are still on pace to make the Play-In Tournament, and from there, who knows? Maybe they make a postseason run with rookies playing significant minutes, maybe they don’t.
Either way, the Hornets are already defying expectations this season and are clearly riding high going into a national TV battle against the tallest player in the league.