Charlotte Hornets' Schedule Breakdown and Record Predictions for January
The Charlotte Hornets will head into 2015 as quite possibly the most underachieving team in the NBA.
Every step forward is met with two steps back, and this squad simply cannot seem to get out of its own way. At 10-22, the Hornets will surely have a bevy of New Year's resolutions.
The fact that the Eastern Conference is once again ghastly in comparison to the West is the only thing keeping hopes alive for the lowly Hornets. At some point, fans and analysts might just have to come to terms with the fact that this team just might not be all that good.
The Bobcats' swan song campaign might have been more of a fluke than we thought.
In January, Charlotte will look to build on its brief semblance of a rebound this month. Charlotte sits at 6-8 in December, which is sadly a big step up from its 3-14 November.
The Hornets missed some big opportunities to capitalize on a softened end-of-the-year schedule, failing to move into 2015 on a high note. After winning four in a row, Charlotte subsequently lost three winnable games to the Kevin Durant-less Oklahoma City Thunder, Orlando Magic and Milwaukee Bucks.
The Hornets once again have some winnable games in January, but will they finally capitalize?
Week 1: Jan. 1-11
1 of 5
Games: Cleveland Cavaliers, at Orlando Magic, at Boston Celtics, New Orleans Pelicans, at Toronto Raptors, at New York Knicks
Most Notable Matchup: at Toronto
Right out of the gate, Charlotte has six games in nine days. The Hornets will have their first test against the class of the Eastern Conference in January, and it will prove just how much fight this group has left.
Charlotte cannot get back into the race simply by beating up on the league's weaklings, it must prove itself against a great team—and there is no better adversary than Toronto.
The two conference mates have yet to square off this season.
Kyle Lowry has quietly become one of the best point guards in basketball and he will put this defense to the test. Can the Hornets conjure up some of the great D that made them so successful last season?
Nothing is easy for this team right now, but matchups against Boston, New York and Orlando should be winnable games that can help the Hornets start the year on the right foot. Cleveland and New Orleans are extremely talented but have flaws as well.
Maybe last year's Bobcats could have run right through this marathon of a six-game slate, but the Hornets have done little to convince us they can do the same.
If the defense can get hot, it can lead the team through this tough stretch. Frankly, I just don't see it happening.
Prediction: 2-4
Week 2: Jan. 12-18
2 of 5
Games: San Antonio Spurs, Indiana Pacers
Most Notable Matchup: Indiana
Charlotte's familiar Eastern Conference foe has silenced the Hornets in 14 of the past 16 matchups, including once this season: an 88-86 win Nov. 19.
Without Paul George, Charlotte cannot drop another game to the Pacers.
The Hornets made a big statement by prying Lance Stephenson from Indiana, and this will be a true gut-check battle to prove why. Dropping 14 of 16 to an opponent should be enough to fire them up, and if not, it will say everything you need to know about the 2014-15 Hornets.
The Spurs might wipe the floor with these guys, but if the Hornets cannot muster up enough fortitude to give Indiana a beating, there might not be much hope for the rest of the year.
Prediction: 1-2
Week 3: Jan. 19-25
3 of 5
Games: Minnesota Timberwolves, Miami Heat, at Cleveland Cavaliers, New York Knicks
Most Notable Matchup: at Cleveland
Kyrie Irving dropped 44 points on the Bobcats last season. LeBron James laid 61 on them last year. If you dig a bit deeper, Kevin Love averaged 35 points and 18.5 rebounds against Charlotte back in 2011-12.
In their lone matchup thus far this season, Cleveland got 27 points, 14 assists and seven rebounds from LeBron James and 22 points, 19 rebounds and five assists from Kevin Love in an easy 97-88 win.
The point is, these three guys have all taken turns obliterating this franchise.
LeBron also dismantled them in the postseason last year, leading his Miami Heat to a convincing sweep. This will be another gut-check contest. Charlotte is playing for pride as well as a spot in the playoffs.
Minnesota, New York and Miami are three much easier games Charlotte should be able to fight through. The best part of the Cleveland game is it comes directly after a four-game homestand. Once again, the Hornets are going to have to start winning some battles, something they haven't proven they can do at any point thus far.
These Hornets haven't beaten an opponent above .500 since Nov. 14 over the Phoenix Suns. If only they could play the Knicks every night.
Prediction: 2-2
Week 4: Jan. 26-31
4 of 5
Games: at San Antonio Spurs, at Denver Nuggets
Most Notable Matchup: at Denver
Charlotte hasn't beaten the Spurs since Jan. 15, 2010, so you can just about throw that one in the loss column.
The Hornets recently crushed Denver 110-82 on Dec. 22, but will they be able to do so in the always-tricky Pepsi Center? The Nuggets should be much healthier by then, and wins on the road against tough Western Conference foes are always hard to come by.
This matchup will come at the end of a trying month, and much will depend on just how much Charlotte can get its act together. Denver likes to play uptempo and push the pace without allowing the defense to settle in, so it was surprising to see Charlotte pull off such a resounding victory over a team like that in December.
We have seen teams crumple in the altitude time and time again. This battle will cap off a month that should test Charlotte's fortitude. This squad has to keep fighting for its coach and believing in the system, and January will provide many opportunities to do so.
Prediction: 1-1
Conclusion
5 of 5
It is difficult to envision a similar turnaround from this Hornets squad like the one the Bobcats pulled off last year. That team fought tooth and nail to win games it wasn't supposed to win, and it played with an obvious passion and desire to turn around the losing culture that had plagued the franchise.
That same firepower has shockingly not spilled over into this campaign.
The Lance Stephenson addition coupled with the draft picks and free-agency signings haven't resulted in a loud buzz. Aside from Kemba Walker's recent tear, the entire roster has underperformed, which is startling.
Predicting this team to turn it around early in 2015 based on anything we have seen thus far would be unfounded. The Hornets are going to have to prove themselves before fans can restore any optimism in thinking they might have a deep playoff run in them.
A 6-9 month would be similar to what this team did in December. What we need to see is the roster mesh together and start squeezing out tough victories behind what made the team successful last season: defensive intensity and offensive fundamentals.
January Prediction: 6-9
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