5 must-watch Hornets games for the second-half of the regular season
After an exciting first half of the regular season, the Charlotte Hornets are set up for a second half of the regular season that will likely include a playoff race and the conclusion of one of the better rookie seasons in recent years.
With a 17-18 record at the All-Star break, the Hornets sit seventh in the Eastern Conference amidst seven teams separated by just two losses ranging from fourth to 10th. Their strong start to the season has been fueled largely by rookie LaMelo Ball, who has set records on a near-nightly basis for Charlotte.
As the Hornets prepare to head into the final stretch of the season, here’s a look at the five most exciting games on their schedule.
Knicks-Hornets, May 15
As two of the most surprising teams of the Eastern Conference, the Knicks and Hornets are in the middle of the race for a playoff spot and could be in line for a high-stakes contest late in the season. Charlotte's penultimate game comes at home in Madison Square Garden against the Knicks. Currently, the Knicks are fifth in the standings, two spots and one game above the Hornets. That mid-May game could have huge playoff ramifications for the postseason and whether the two teams are involved in the play-in games.
Lakers-Hornets, April 13
A visit from the champions is always a reason to be excited and the Lakers will come to Charlotte in mid-April. Due to COVID-19 abbreviating the 2019-20 season, the Lakers never made the trip to Charlotte last season, meaning the last visit by the Lakers came on Dec. 15, 2018. On that night, LeBron James and Lonzo Ball each posted triple-doubles for the Lakers. Only three players from that Lakers team - James, Kyle Kuzma and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope - remain on the current team that will provide a stiff challenge for the Hornets.
Nets-Hornets, April 1
In the first meeting between the Nets and Hornets, Charlotte survived for a big win early in the season. It was officially the first loss of the Durant-Irivng era in Brooklyn. Much has changed since that match-up, mainly in that the Nets traded for James Harden. When they meet again in April, it'll come on TNT in an interesting rematch between the two sides.
Pelicans-Hornets, May 9
The Ball Brother showdown will always have an intriguing edge to it for as long as both are in the league. While the second meeting between the two won't be on national television as the first battle, it'll come late in the season when both teams will likely be vying for playoff positioning. In the first meeting, LaMelo flirted with a triple-double before notching one a night later. Lonzo, meanwhile, has turned around his season and has been one of the best shooters in the league since the start of February.
Celtics-Hornets, April 25
Regardless of how it ended, the return of Kemba Walker will always be a noteworthy contest considering what he meant to the franchise. Add in that the game will be on national television on ESPN and it's the most exciting game of the second half of the regular season. Walker vs. Ball will be a matchup of Hornets past vs. Hornets present and future. Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum are two All-Stars that will present challenges to any team. And, surprisingly, the Celtics are in the same playoff race as the Hornets, sitting just 1.5 games above Charlotte in the standings.
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