The Charlotte Hornets continued their remarkable midseason turnaround on Wednesday night with a dominant 118-89 victory over the Boston Celtics to extend their winning streak to six games. The result extended Charlotte's consecutive winning streak to at least 15 points and prompted ESPN analysts to warn Eastern Conference contenders about the surging team.
The Hornets' latest win solidified their status as one of the league's hottest teams, which drew attention during Thursday's broadcast of Get Up.
Alan Hahn described Charlotte as a dangerous opponent lurking in the playoff race.
"A dragon slayer hiding in plain sight. They're in the play-ins right now. They're the 9th seed. They're finally at .500 for the first time, I think, since Grandmama and Muggy Boggs. We haven't seen them play like this for a long time, but they're that team with this offense and defense, by the way, in the top 3 these 20 games."
Hahn said Charlotte's balanced performance on both ends of the floor makes them a tough matchup for the top teams in the conference.
"So, not only are they playing great offense, but they're also playing great defense. They're that team, if you're a contender, if you're a high seed, #1, #2 or #3, and you have to face them in the first round, you don't want to do that because they're unknowns and they can play free as well."
🗣️ @alanhahn: "A dragon slayer hiding in plain sight. They're in the play-ins right now. They're the 9th seed. I think, after Grandmama and Muggy Boggs, they're finally at .500 for the first time. We haven't seen them play like that in a long time, but they're that team... pic.twitter.com/Gze5F5ANwA
- r/CharlotteHornets (@HornetsReddit) 5 March 2026
Jay Williams compares surging Hornets to young Celtics amid hot stretch
Former NBA guard Jay Williams echoed that sentiment, comparing the Hornets' playing style to a younger version of the Celtics.
"They're like a young version of the Boston Celtics. Their games really mirror each other, and their offense is the best in the league since Jan. 1. I wouldn't call them a title contender, but if you're the Knicks, if you're Detroit, if you're Cleveland, you've got to compete with Charlotte and that offense in the first round...that's the danger zone."
Charlotte's win over Boston improved the team to 31–30 on the season, marking the first time that the franchise has climbed above .500 since October 26, when it improved to 2–1 after a 139–113 win over the Washington Wizards.
Over the last 15 games, Charlotte has ranked among the league's most efficient teams. The Hornets rank ninth in scoring at 115.7 points per game during that span, while leading the NBA in perimeter shooting at 40.1%. The team has made an average of 18.6 three-pointers and held opponents to just 104.8 points per game, the second-best defensive mark in the league during that span. Charlotte's 10.9 net rating over the same period ranks second in the NBA.
Despite the surge, the Hornets currently sit in ninth place in the Eastern Conference standings. However, the standings are tightly packed, and Charlotte is only 4.5 games behind the fifth-seeded Toronto Raptors (35-26).
Charlotte will attempt to extend its winning streak on Friday night when it hosts the Miami Heat (33-29) at 7:00 pm before beginning a four-game Western Conference road trip against the Phoenix Suns (35-26) on Sunday at 10:00 pm.
