After the Charlotte Hornets extended their winning streak to six with a 118-89 win against the Boston Celtics, head coach Charles Lee may have reminded Philadelphia 76ers fans of his old “trust the process” slogan. Injuries have been a frequent hindrance for the Hornets, limiting their growth in the past. With a young team like Charlotte’s, some parallels can be drawn with the young, promising 76ers of nearly a decade ago.
Lee says health has limited the Hornets’ potential, which is now blossoming this season, amid a team’s playoff potential that has boosted its record over .500 to 32-31, he said, according to Roderick Boone of the Charlotte Observer.
“It’s been good to have a healthy roster,” Lee said. “It’s definitely played a role in some of the changes we’ve made. But I think our guys have embraced the process even more. It started in the offseason. I thought everyone has increased their work habits, their work standards and their togetherness about how we can lift each other up. We’ve come out stronger through all of this.”
For Hornets center Moussa Diabate, beating the Celtics, who are in second place in the Eastern Conference standings, is an impressive feat for a young team, but it is also a testament to how much the Hornets have improved.
“They [Celtics] is a great team, we also believe we are a great team,” Diabate said, per Boone. “At the end of the day, we’re not trying to focus too much on them. Obviously, we want to win the game, but if we focus on what we have to do it will win on its own. For us, that’s a great thing, it’s a good message to the league as well – understand that the Hornets are here.
Amid a six-game winning streak, Charles Lee and the Hornets have won seven of their last 10 games.
ESPN analyst warns about Hornets’ recent surge
One could argue that this is the most exciting time to be a Hornets fan since the 1990s, as head coach Charles Lee has led his team to a 32-31 record, which few expected ahead of the 2025-26 campaign. With only 19 games left in the regular season, the Hornets are moving at an ideal time, which could make them a tough first round opponent In the playoffs, as Alan Hahn reported on ESPN’s Get Up.
“There’s a dragon slayer hiding in plain sight. They’re in the play-ins right now. They’re seeded 9th. 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 a defense, by the way, that’s in the top 3 these 20 games,” Hahn said.
The Hornets’ well-balanced attack on both ends of the floor makes them a tough matchup for the top Eastern Conference teams.
“Not only are they playing great offense, they’re playing great defense,” Hahn said. “They’re the team that, if you’re a contender, if you’re a higher seed, No. 1, No. 2, or No. 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
The Hornets will look to extend their winning streak to seven when they host the Heat on Friday.
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