The Charlotte Hornets may not be making the playoffs this season, but they are certainly making their mark on the Western Conference playoff picture. In the past few games, the Hornets have defeated both the Dallas Mavericks and the Oklahoma City Thunder, causing a significant shakeup in the standings.
The Hornets’ success can be attributed to their strong team culture, which has led to a sense of resilience and determination among the players. Despite their losing record, the Charlotte-based team has remained competitive in many of their games this season, refusing to back down even in the face of adversity.
This resilience has been especially evident in the team’s recent wins over the Mavericks and Thunder. In both games, the Hornets were able to outplay their opponents in the fourth quarter, demonstrating their ability to maintain their focus and intensity until the final buzzer.
In addition to their resilience, the Hornets have also benefited from their commitment to player development. With many of their key players sidelined due to injury, the minnows have been forced to rely on their bench players and younger players to step up and contribute.
The Western Conference is comically congested. Only four games separate the fourth-place Phoenix Suns from the 12th-placed Utah Jazz. The Mavs sit in 11th place, after dropping back-to-back games. Both those losses came at the hands of the Eastern Conference team, whose playoff hopes were dashed way before the weather started to turn warm and the clock went back an hour.
Overall, the Hornets’ success in spoiling the playoff hopes of several Western Conference teams is a testament to the strength of their team culture. Despite facing many challenges and setbacks this season, the Southern Divisional team have remained focused, competitive, and committed to their goals.
Washington’s Career Night Leads Hornets to Thrilling Victory Over Thunder
The Charlotte Hornets secured a thrilling 137-134 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday, thanks in large part to a career night from J. Washington. The Hornets trailed by double digits at halftime but were able to mount a comeback behind Washington’s incredible fourth-quarter performance.
Washington scored a career-high 43 points, including 22 in the fourth quarter alone, to lead the Hornets to their third straight win over Western Conference teams. His 22 points in the final period were also a season-high for the Hornets.
Despite trailing by eight points with under four minutes left in the game, the Thunder fought back to tie the score at 129-129 with two minutes remaining. But Washington, Nick Richards, and JT Thor all added crucial scores to put the Hornets up 135-133 with 13 seconds left on the clock.
As the Thunder tried to tie the game, Richards committed a foul that sent Josh Giddey to the free-throw line. Giddey made the first shot but missed the second, leaving the Hornets in a position to steal the win.
Oklahoma City had three players score over 30 points, with Isaiah Joe leading the way with 33 points. Giddey and Jalen Williams added 31 points apiece.
What do you make of The Charlotte Hornets recent fight back? Are they now getting their team combination spot on to make a fight for next year’s championship? Let us know in the comment section.
