Hornets Are 27-8 in Last 35 Games — The Best Turnaround Story in the NBA

Remember the Charlotte Hornets? The team that went 7-28 during a 35-game stretch last season? They're 27-8 in their last 35 games this year. That's not a turnaround — that's a completely different franchise.

The numbers are staggering. Charlotte was 16-28 through January 21 and looked like another lottery team. Then something clicked. A nine-game winning streak — their longest since the 1997-98 season — catapulted them back into playoff contention. Kon Knueppel has been a revelation as a rookie, Cam Johnson is shooting 51% from the field and 45.5% from three since February, and the defense has gone from liability to weapon.

At 43-36, Charlotte now sits firmly in the playoff picture in the East. Last year at this point? They were counting ping pong balls. This is one of the most dramatic single-season turnarounds the NBA has seen in years, and they're doing it with a roster most people wrote off before the season started.