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The Montreal Canadiens are set to face the surging Carolina Hurricanes in the 2026 NHL Eastern Conference Finals, giving us a great opportunity to evaluate their 5v5 numbers throughout the regular season.

Next we’ll look at how the Habs and Canes performed when they faced each other on three occasions.

Canadiens and Hurricanes regular-season statistics (5v5)

The first thing we should note is that the Hurricane is the epitome of an ‘analytics darling’ team. They take a lot of shots, and they outscore their opponents by significant margins.

They are also a top-5 team when it comes to creating high-danger scoring chances.

When it comes to shot-share battles, expect the Hurricane to reign supreme.

Shooting and goaltending

On the other side of the coin, the Canadians enjoyed better goaltending in both regular save percentage and high-danger save percentage. They also had more skilled shooters, including higher quality shooting opportunities.

While the Hurricanes put more rubber on net, the Habs are much better at stopping said rubber, not to mention when it comes to capitalizing on their own scoring opportunities.

It’s a battle of quantity versus quality, with the Hurricanes requiring an incredibly high volume of shots to generate most of their attack.

Target

When we boil things down to their ability to score and prevent goals their results are quite similar.

The Habs score more often at 5v5, but the Hurricanes are still among the top 10 teams, while the Canes are better at preventing the puck from entering their net, but not by much.

Canadiens Vs. storm head to head statistics

Carolina and Montreal faced off on three occasions in the regular season. All three games ended with victories for the Canadiens, although they were certainly high-event match-ups.

The Canadiens defeated the Hurricanes 7–5 on January 1, before winning two games in late March.

Overall, they outshot the Hurricanes 12-3, giving them an 80% lead in goals scored at 5v5.

That means it should be a walk in the park for hubs, right?

Absolutely not!

Statistically speaking, the Canadiens were incredibly lucky to emerge from their three games against the Hurricanes with a point, let alone three wins.

This doesn’t mean that Carolina will completely dominate the Habs at 5v5 in the upcoming series, but we shouldn’t fool ourselves into thinking that Montreal will be the favorite team due to the regular season results.

Montreal Canadiens Brass Tacks

Most analysts will pick the Hurricanes to win the Eastern Conference Finals, and there is enough data to suggest that this is a very logical decision.

However, we have yet to see what impact the nearly two weeks off between playoff series will have. The Hurricanes are cold as ice, while the Canadiens have been playing essentially every two days since the playoffs began.

It is also important to remember that the Canadiens faced a lot of quality competition in the playoffs, as the Sabers and Tampa Bay Lightning were among the best teams in the Eastern Conference, while the Ottawa Senators and Philadelphia Flyers were not.

If I were a betting man, my money would be on the Hurricanes, but I’d be very eager to support the Canadiens, given their tendency to rise to the challenge when faced with adversity.

And as we all know, they will face a mountain of adversities in the upcoming series vs Hurricanes.

All Montreal Canadiens stats are 5v5, via Natural Stat Trick, unless otherwise noted.

Mark has been covering the Habs for over a decade. He previously worked for the Journal Metro, The Athletic, The… More about Mark Dumont

After nine days of wondering who their next opponent would be, the Carolina Hurricanes finally have their opponent for the Eastern Conference Finals following the Montreal Canadiens’ overtime win in Game 7 against the Buffalo Sabres.

Between their sweep of the Philadelphia Flyers in round two of the ECF and Game 1, the Hurricanes would have 11 days of rest, setting a modern NHL record. Ironically, only 1919 Canadians had more than 12.

Game 7 between the Canadiens and Sabers was certainly interesting. The Canadiens took an early lead by scoring two goals in the first frame, before the Sabers evened it out in the next two frames. However, the Sabers found the back of the net for the third time after the puck bounced off the legs of Jacob Dobbs, while the remaining puck was pushed across the line by Beck Malensteen. But unfortunately for the Sabres, as Dobbs tried to cover the puck, the referee blew the whistle – despite having no control over it, and the goal was ultimately waved off.

With 8:38 left in the extra frame, Alex Newhook got the game-winning goal.

A Brief History of the Hurricanes vs. the Habs

Throughout the regular season, the Canadiens won all three games against the Hurricanes. However, in the only two instances when the two teams have faced each other in the postseason (2002, 2006), the Hurricanes have defeated them in six games or less. Ironically, the Hurricanes also appeared in the Stanley Cup Finals in both postseasons, and won the championship in 2006.

Carolina Hurricanes-Montreal Canadiens schedule and broadcast information

game 1

When: Thursday, May 21, 8:00 pm EDT
Where: Raleigh, NC | Lenovo Center
How to watch: TNT, TruTV, HBO Max, SN, CBC, TVAS

game 2

When: Saturday, May 23, 7:00 pm EDT
Where: Raleigh, NC | Lenovo Center
How to watch: TNT, TruTV, HBO Max, SN, CBC, TVAS

game 3

When: Monday, May 25, 8:00 pm EDT
Where: Rivals Arena
How to watch: TNT, TruTV, HBO Max, SN, CBC, TVAS

game 4

When: Wednesday, May 27, 8:00 pm EDT
Where: Rivals Arena
How to watch: TNT, TruTV, HBO Max, SN, CBC, TVAS

Game 5 (if necessary)

When: Friday, May 29, 8:00 pm EDT
Where: Raleigh, NC | Lenovo Center
How to watch: TNT, TruTV, HBO Max, SN, CBC, TVAS

Game 6 (if necessary)

When: Sunday, May 31, TBD
Where: Rivals Arena
How to watch: TNT, TruTV, HBO Max, SN, TVAS

Game 7 (if necessary)

When: Tuesday, June 2, 8:00 pm EDT
Where: Raleigh, NC | Lenovo Center
How to watch: TNT, TruTV, HBO Max, SN, CBC, TVAS

All games will feature local play-by-play by Mike Maniscalco and analysis by Trip Tracy on the Hurricanes’ radio partner, 99.9 The Fan.

Rachel Barkley is a beat writer covering the Carolina Hurricanes for Carolina Hockey Now on SportsNote. Painting Stories…More About Rachel Barclay

LeBron James is once again poised to be the top player available in NBA free agency this offseason. While a return to the Los Angeles Lakers is much discussed, there is reportedly mutual interest with the Eastern Conference contender.

The BigPlay Scoop B. of Cleveland. According to Robinson, there is “mutual interest” between LeBron and the Cleveland Cavaliers. However, money is going to be a real factor in this process.

RELATED: Executive details potential win-win contract for Lakers, LeBron

“I know the Cavs, some members of their roster have had conversations with LeBron about a possible pairing.”

Brandon “Scoop B.” Robinson on interest between Cleveland Cavaliers, LeBron James

Robinson also mentioned a third team that could potentially be in the mix for LeBron. Unsurprisingly, joining the NBA rumors over the past few days, the New York Knicks are being viewed as another possible option for the future Hall of Famer.

There is a complicating factor here for the Knicks and Cavaliers. This also applies to the two teams that were previously linked to LeBron, the Golden State Warriors and the Denver Nuggets, giving the Lakers a bigger chance to re-sign him.

Both the Cavaliers and Knicks are limited to offering LeBron far less than the Lakers can put on the table. While the Lakers have his Bird rights, Cleveland and New York are above the luxury tax and will have to hope the four-time NBA champion is willing to play at a steep discount.

Read more: Executives predict potential cost of Austin Reeves contract

The Cavaliers could also make a sign-and-trade to acquire LeBron, but that would require the Lakers to trade center Jarrett Allen. This again highlights why Los Angeles is still the favorite to sign him.

Matt Johnson is the senior NFL and college football editor for Sportsknot. His work including the weekly NFL and college… More about Matt Johnson

Ahead of Game 5 between the Buffalo Sabers and Montreal Canadiens, who are tied 2–2 in the series at the time of writing, the NHL announced the tentative schedule for the Eastern Conference Finals between the Carolina Hurricanes and whoever wins the Atlantic Series.

After winning the Eastern Conference in the regular season, the Hurricanes will have home ice advantage against any opponent.

The schedule has two different scenarios, and doesn’t list times, but at least we have dates!

Carolina Hurricanes-Buffalo Sabers schedule and broadcast information (if second-round series ends in Game 6)

game 1

When: Tuesday, May 19, TBD
Where: Raleigh, NC | Lenovo Center
How to watch: TNT, TruTV, HBO Max, SN, CBC, TVAS

game 2

When: Thursday, May 21, TBD
Where: Raleigh, NC | Lenovo Center
How to watch: TNT, TruTV, HBO Max, SN, CBC, TVAS

game 3

When: Saturday, May 23, TBD
Where: Rivals Arena
How to watch: TNT, TruTV, HBO Max, SN, CBC, TVAS

game 4

When: Monday, May 25, TBD
Where: Rivals Arena
How to watch: TNT, TruTV, HBO Max, SN, CBC, TVAS

game 5 (if necessary)

When: Wednesday, May 27, TBD
Where: Raleigh, NC | Lenovo Center
How to watch: TNT, TruTV, HBO Max, SN, CBC, TVAS

game 6 (if necessary)

When: Friday, May 29, TBD
Where: Rivals Arena
How to watch: TNT, TruTV, HBO Max, SN, CBC, TVAS

game 7 (if necessary)

When: Sunday, May 31, TBD
Where: Raleigh, NC | Lenovo Center
How to watch: TNT, TruTV, HBO Max, SN, TVAS

Carolina Hurricanes-Buffalo Sabres/Montreal Canadiens schedule and broadcast information (if second-round series extends to Game 7)

game 1

When: Thursday, May 21, TBD
Where: Raleigh, NC | Lenovo Center
How to watch: TNT, TruTV, HBO Max, SN, CBC, TVAS

game 2

When: Saturday, May 23, TBD
Where: Raleigh, NC | Lenovo Center
How to watch: TNT, TruTV, HBO Max, SN, CBC, TVAS

game 3

When: Monday, May 25, TBD
Where: Rivals Arena
How to watch: TNT, TruTV, HBO Max, SN, CBC, TVAS

game 4

When: Wednesday, May 27, TBD
Where: Rivals Arena
How to watch: TNT, TruTV, HBO Max, SN, CBC, TVAS

game 5 (if necessary)

When: Friday, May 29, TBD
Where: Raleigh, NC | Lenovo Center
How to watch: TNT, TruTV, HBO Max, SN, CBC, TVAS

game 6 (if necessary)

When: Sunday, May 31, TBD
Where: Rivals Arena
How to watch: TNT, TruTV, HBO Max, SN, TVAS

game 7 (if necessary)

When: Tuesday, June 2, TBD
Where: Raleigh, NC | Lenovo Center
How to watch: TNT, TruTV, HBO Max, SN, CBC, TVAS

All games will feature local play-by-play by Mike Maniscalco and analysis by Trip Tracy on the Hurricanes’ radio partner, 99.9 The Fan.

Rachel Barkley is a beat writer covering the Carolina Hurricanes for Carolina Hockey Now on SportsNote. Painting Stories…More About Rachel Barclay

With the Carolina Hurricanes’ historic sweep over the Philadelphia Flyers, they earned a berth in the Eastern Conference Finals for the third time in four years. However, as they potentially look at 10 straight days off, it leaves time to wonder and contemplate whether they have what it takes to move past the rounds of 1-16 they have endured in the last 15 years.

So, what makes this Hurricanes team so special, and why does this postseason campaign feel different?

Hurricanes have a strong sense of identity, experience, and chemistry

This isn’t the Hurricanes’ first rodeo in the ECF; This is the third time in four years that they have reached here. However, in their last two shots, they were defeated by the Florida Panthers, with the first being all games one-goal against them, and the second being completely outclassed by their rivals from the Sunshine State.

The Panthers had little experience in that 2023 series and lost to the Vegas Golden Knights in five games in the Stanley Cup Finals. But in the 2025 series, the Panthers already had a Cup — they knew who they were.

However, the storms did not yet know themselves.

The summer and season were marked by significant changes with the departure of seven key players amid free agency and the Mikko Rantanen debacle. They managed to play their game in the first two rounds, but facing the Panthers once again, their style quickly disintegrated as they tried to emulate their opponent – ​​abandoning their bread and butter in puck management and instead focusing on physicality and finishing hits, something they were not particularly adept at at the time. Taylor Hall, who was only on the team for a short time, put it best as ‘not dancing with the girl they brought in’.

However, since then, they have honed their physicality while focusing heavily on conditioning without sidelining their unique playing style – the hallmark of their hard-working team. Some changes were made during the latest free agency and trade deadline, creating a stronger chemistry without the shakeup previously experienced.

As far as experience goes, all the key players except Brandon Bussey have been on teams that have been to the conference finals. Even Carolina’s two young players, 23-year-old Logan Stankoven and 22-year-old Jackson Blake, have notable experience at this stage of the postseason, with Stankoven having experienced the conference finals in the two latest postseasons (his only seasons in the NHL), and Blake having experienced it last season.

“The culture and the group that we have this year is a different level, I think, than even last year,” Blake said after the series-winning overtime goal against the Flyers. “I think last year we had a good group, and we were really united, but this year it feels a little different. I don’t know what it is, but I like the way we’re moving.”

Generally speaking, whether the Hurricanes face the Buffalo Sabers or Montreal Canadiens, they should have the upper hand in two aspects of experience and identity – having recently been in this position before, and recognizing how they want to play and have worked toward meeting those goals throughout the season.

contribution from top to bottom

The Hurricanes’ theme this season is a tattered old rope, given to the player who tried hardest after each win, which is selected by the player who got the win first – a metaphor alluding to each individual pulling their weight toward a unified goal. Really, this is a great example of how the team has performed in both the regular season and playoffs.

Currently, Carolina’s scoring leader is not Sebastian Aho’s first line, but Stankoven’s second line, with the latter having a fairly even distribution of goals and assists in the lineup. Depth players are rising to the challenge, making it difficult for opposing coaches to strategize on closing down scoring opportunities.

This is incredibly similar to the 2023 playoff Hurricanes, which also had a heavy reliance on secondary scoring, and was their best in two recent appearances in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Comfort is a huge factor

Let’s be honest…no one saw that the storm would wreak havoc not only in the first round, but also in the second round. With this, they have played only eight games in total this post-season, whereas a team plays an average of 12 games in two rounds. Fewer games played, fewer opportunities early playoff injuries – the Hurricanes have suffered from this in recent postseasons.

Clearly, the comfort gained from consecutive sweeps is a luxury the Hurricanes have not had before, and moreover, their opponent will certainly lack.

Still, comfort versus rust will always remain a hotly debated topic – the main reason for any boon or curse after a gameless stretch. However, for goaltender Frederik Andersen – who has been one of the best goaltenders in the post-season – rest has proven time and again to benefit his performance in the past, and the Hurricanes will need him at the top of his game against whichever powerhouse comes out of the Sabres-Canadiens series.

Only time will tell which way the Eastern Conference Finals will go – whether the Hurricanes will finally make it through, or whether the curse of the semi-finals will continue. Nonetheless, this is their best chance in a long time.

Rachel Barkley is a beat writer covering the Carolina Hurricanes for Carolina Hockey Now on SportsNote. Painting Stories…More About Rachel Barclay

For the first time in 20 years, the Carolina Hurricanes established themselves as the best Eastern Conference team throughout the regular season. It didn’t come with any dramatic impact, nor did it come with any spectacular victory – but it came nonetheless.

Starting the night with some of their six best players out of the starting lineup, they faced a hungry Philadelphia Flyers team that was fighting for a postseason opportunity.

The first period was all Carolina, taking a two-goal lead by the end of the frame. The first goal came off the stick of Bradley Nadeau, with an assist from Nikolaj Ehlers, who sent a no-look pass to the rookie who had positioned himself in the slot.

A few minutes later, the Hurricanes got the man advantage due to a holding penalty, which Ehlers managed to capitalize on. In doing so, he achieved the first 70-point season of his 11-season career.

However, the second period belonged to the Flyers – scoring two to tie the game. The first goal came from Matvei Michkov, thanks to a Hurricanes concession as the game began. His second goal, meanwhile, was during the power play – a snapshot of penalty-drawer Trevor Zegras who was left completely alone by Brandon Bussey’s net.

During halftime, Ehlers talked about the two goals he allowed, recognizing that they were the result of puck mismanagement and that it was something he would need to tighten up in the following frames.

In fact, they worked together defensively in the final period, giving up only four possessions compared to nine in the second period. But ultimately, Philadelphia wasn’t giving up that much. The game remained deadlocked through regulation, and then as has happened every time they faced each other this season, they went into overtime.

As the extra frames opened, the Hurricanes had scored the points needed to win the Eastern Conference. Additionally, the Flyers’ overtime points eliminated the Columbus Blue Jackets from the playoffs.

However, nothing was achieved in five minutes of three-on-three and they were locked in a shootout for the third time in four matches played together.

The decider came in the fourth round of the shootout, as Tyson Foster managed to defeat Brandon Bussey, becoming the third skater to do so in the 14 rounds played by the goaltender this season.

With their win, the Flyers clinched third place in the Metropolitan Division – the only remaining playoff spot in the Eastern Conference – and clinched a spot in the postseason for the first time since 2020. Interestingly, the only Eastern playoff matchup confirmed for the postseason is now the Flyers against the Pittsburgh Penguins, who are in second place in the Metro Division.

(PSST, Philly Hockey Now’s William James wrote a great article on the Flyers’ playoff clinch – be sure to check it out if you want to see the Flyers’ perspective!)

storm notes

Nicolas Deslauriers’ return to Philadelphia, where he will be playing through the 2022-23 season, has been more difficult than usual. Literally. He had 11 hits on his former teammates (notably Rasmus Ristolainen and Emil Andre, who had three hits each). This tied his career high for most hits in a single game, which he set in a game against the Dallas Stars on March 13, 2018, when he was a member of the Montreal Canadiens.

During the second period, Jalen Chatfield took a heavy hit from Owen Tippett. He was slow to get up and proceeded to walk down the tunnel, but returned to the game shortly afterwards. It was his first game since suffering a lower-body injury against the Boston Bruins last Tuesday.

The loss was the Hurricanes’ first in Philadelphia since March 5, 2020.

The last time the Hurricanes finished first in the Eastern Conference was in the 2005–06 season.

Rachel Barkley is a beat writer covering the Carolina Hurricanes for Carolina Hockey Now on SportsNote. Painting Stories…More About Rachel Barclay

The NBA is set to vote during its Board of Governors meeting later this month to consider adding two expansion teams to the league in Las Vegas and Seattle. Both teams will begin play during the 2028–2029 season.

There’s a good chance the proposal is agreed to, meaning there will be a conference realignment when it comes to other teams. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, there are already two teams being mentioned as possible options to move to the Eastern Conference.

Charania wrote, “NBA officials expect that either the Minnesota Timberwolves or the Memphis Grizzlies will move East and realign the conferences with a 16-16 conference, when Seattle and Las Vegas become Western teams.”

It makes perfect sense to move the Grizzlies to the Eastern Conference, simply because they are already on this side of the field. They’re a team that belongs in the Western Conference, but is nowhere near the West. This would be a good sign for them to relocate to the East, as they would not have to travel far all the time, as they always have to do.

As far as the Timberwolves are concerned, this seems like another good option to head east, as they are more in the northeastern region of the US.

It will be interesting to see what the league agrees to, but first, the vote must be in favor of adding expansion teams. This could be a major win for the league, as industry executives have presented offers in the range of $7–10 billion for each team, and it is estimated that the Las Vegas and Seattle markets will be part of the NBA’s top eight revenue generators.

Following the first vote, there will be a possible final vote at the end of the year to finalize the transaction for the 32 teams. 23 out of 30 governors will have to vote in favor in both voting rounds.

The Montreal Canadiens have 20 games left to play in the 2025-26 season, giving us a great opportunity to look at the team’s playoff odds again.

We’ll also evaluate the changes in the odds of the various Eastern Conference teams competing with the Habs for a playoff spot.

Updated Montreal Canadiens Playoff Odds

With 78 points in the bank after 62 games, the Canadiens are on solid pace to qualify for the playoffs.

According to Money Puck, his chances are currently 81.8%.

If they maintain this pace, they will finish the year with 103 points, which is significantly more than their results last season.

The Habs finished 2024-25 with 91 points, thus, their pace in 2025-26 represents a 13% increase in points per game.

The standings in the Eastern Conference are relatively opposite.

The Canadiens are just five points ahead of the Columbus Blue Jackets in the wild card race, however, it should be noted that they are only six points behind the Buffalo Sabers for the top spot in the Atlantic Division with two games remaining.

As always, the Eastern Conference is offering a very tortuous, chaotic playoff race.

With that in mind, we must remember that it is very difficult to close a gap of five or six points in the standings with only 20 games left on the schedule, especially since there are overtime and shootout points in the games.

Although the points paint a somewhat worrisome picture, the prospects reflect the fact that scoring a half-dozen points with very few games left to play is a tall mountain to climb for any NHL club.

Changes in Eastern Conference playoff odds

Two months ago, Montreal’s playoff chances were less than 70%.

Within a month, they increased slightly, but not to the point where anyone would feel comfortable suggesting any signs of relaxation.

With the Olympic break behind us, the Canadiens have not only strengthened their position, but they have increased their chances by more than 12%.

While the Canadiens slowly but surely improved their odds, some teams, such as the Washington Capitals, Philadelphia Flyers, New York Rangers and Toronto Maple Leafs, fell out of the playoff race, paying homage to Thelma and Louise.

On the other side of the coin, the New York Islanders, Boston Bruins, Columbus Blue Jackets, Pittsburgh Penguins and Detroit Red Wings significantly improved their chances of qualifying for the 2025-26 playoffs.

remaining montreal canadiens games

Opponents: Toronto Maple Leafs, Ottawa Senators, San Jose Sharks, Anaheim Ducks, Boston Bruins, Detroit Red Wings, New York Islanders (x2), Carolina Hurricanes (x2), Columbus Blue Jackets (x2), Nashville Predators, Tampa Bay Lightning (x2), New York Rangers, New Jersey Devils (2), Florida Panthers, Philadelphia Flyers.

With 20 games left on the docket, the Habs will face 17 Eastern Conference teams that will certainly have a major impact on their playoff race. They will play organizations in the Atlantic Division on seven occasions, while facing teams currently in a playoff spot nine times.

In other words, while Montreal’s playoff prospects are relatively healthy, there are enough games left in the season that there could be quite a swing when we consider that most of their rivals are also competing for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

Montreal Canadiens Brass Tacks

All things considered, the Canadiens have a very high chance of reaching the playoffs, an accomplishment that should be celebrated.

Just four years ago, they were the worst team in the league, and they were given the No. 1 pick in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft.

Expectations may have risen to unreasonable levels since then, but there’s no doubt that the Habs have done a great job in their rebuild.

This is one of the cleanest, most streamlined rebuilds in modern NHL history, as reflected by their strong bid to qualify for the playoffs in consecutive seasons.

All Montreal Canadiens and NHL playoff odds via Money Puck.

Mark has been covering the Habs for over a decade. He previously worked for the Journal Metro, The Athletic, The… More about Mark Dumont

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.

NBC analyst Reggie Miller is high on the Boston Celtics’ potential in the NBA playoffs. in a recent appearance dan patrick showMiller praised the Celtics’ Jaylen Brown for stepping up during Tatum’s absence and highlighted the team’s depth. He then said that the Celtics are “the scariest team in the Eastern Conference”, even with Tatum marginalized.

“The Celtics are the scariest team in the Eastern Conference, and the reason there are no expectations is because people thought it would be a gap year. Yeah. About Tatum and the way Jaylen Brown is, his name should definitely be in the MVP discussion with Cade Cunningham.”

He added, “With the Celtics, with or without Tatum coming back, the Celtics are a real threat to win the Easter Conference… They’ve been well coached by Coach Mazzulla. They’re deep. They can play a lot of ways. They can play big, small, and I think Vucevic has a pickup low. You can play it back to the basket. He can knock down threes. They play a certain way. They shoot a lot of threes. Gonna jack up. Most of those shots come from, uh, 16 feet away. Defensively, I’m just telling people they’re high on the Knicks and that’s right, and Cleveland’s going up too.

The Boston Celtics are currently in second place in the East behind the top-seeded Detroit Pistons. They are two games up on the third-seeded New York Knicks in the loss column. The Celtics have emerged as one of the biggest stories of the season, as many NBA fans and forecasters believed they would suffer a blowout without Tatum in the lineup.

But Jaylen Brown has stepped up. He averaged 29.2 points, 7 rebounds and 1 steal along with 4.9 assists per game. The Browns also have help from Peyton Pritchard, who is averaging 17.6 points per game, and Derrick White, who is averaging 17 points per game. Additionally, a sharpshooter like Sam Hauser has emerged as one of the best high-volume shooters in the league, as he shoots 39% from the three-point line. The Celtics also recently acquired Nikola Vucevic, who is averaging 11 points and 8.4 rebounds per game. The Celtics head to Phoenix to play the Suns tonight at 9pm Eastern.

The NBA is getting ready for the homestretch of the season, restarting the season following the end of NBA All-Star Weekend. Thursday night was the restart of the season, and the night’s game was an Eastern Conference showdown between the Detroit Pistons and the New York Knicks. The Pistons won 126–111, thanks to Cade Cunningham, but it strengthened the argument that these were the two best teams in the East.

NBA Hall of Famer Magic Johnson has been known to make some big moves on social media during the NBA season since leaving the Los Angeles Lakers. He spoke after watching the game on Thursday Pistons and Knicks picked to reach Eastern Conference Finals, but worth keeping an eye on The Cavaliers, 76ers, and even the Celtics.

After the game, Johnson praised the Pistons’ performance, especially that of point guard Cade Cunningham after he took over and led Detroit to a big win.

Johnson said, “NBA fans around the world, I hope you didn’t see Detroit Pistons superstar Cade Cunningham’s performance last night against the New York Knicks. He had a spectacular performance, scoring 42 points, 13 assists and 8 rebounds! Cade scored from everywhere on the court – the three-pointer, the midrange jumper, and he was taking it to the basket. When he dunked on the three he may have had the best game of the year. Hits with the left hand!”

New York had some moments, with Jalen Brunson scoring 30 and Karl-Anthony Towns adding 21 points and 11 boards, but the Knicks struggled from three-point range and couldn’t get enough stops on defense to really swing momentum. Detroit consistently created separation, extended the advantage into the high teens late in the game and never allowed it to get into danger.

Johnson’s confidence in the Knicks and Pistons stems from the fact that both teams have been the most consistent in the Eastern Conference. There’s a lot to like about teams like the Cavaliers, 76ers and Celtics, but the consistency of those top two is what sets them apart and is a significant difference.