Charlotte Hornets Have a lot to Prove in Five-Game Homestand
After a five-game road trip that didn’t go the Charlotte Hornets way, they have a chance to right some wrongs as they return home for a five-game homestand.
In the NBA, things change quickly. The Charlotte Hornets will hope that they can reverse their current trend as they return home. They are coming off of a road trip that saw them lose all five games and now fans are beginning to question the legitimacy of this team.
Even though their last few outing haven’t gone their way, the Hornets can easily turn things around now that they are back in The Queen City. They have a pretty impressive 12-7 record at home so far this season and a good showing during this homestand will help them improve that mark. Not only that but it will also help people forget about the poor road trip and get some momentum and confidence back.
Although things will get a little easier in front of their home fans, Charlotte will still have to win games against some tough opponents. They will host the likes of the Portland Trail Blazers, the Toronto Raptors, the Brooklyn Nets, the Washington Wizards, and the Golden State Warriors. Like I said, it won’t be easy but if the Hornets are able to grab some wins over the Raptors, the Wizards, and/or the Warriors, their homestand will be seen as a success.
More from Swarm and Sting
With their current form, it isn’t likely that Steve Clifford’s side will go 5-0 during the homestand but if they were to go 4-1 or even 3-2, then that would be a success after coming off of a five-game losing streak. This will be the team’s longest homestand this season so it is indicative that they perform well and try to regain some of the success that they had earlier this year.
There is no doubt that the Hornets play much better at home with Buzz City cheering them on. In the midst of their worst rut of the season, returning to Charlotte will be a welcome sight for the team. They must put their poor play away from home behind them and bounce back. Of course, their problems go far beyond just playing at and away from home but some of their defensive issues and other problems have a better chance at getting fixed as the players will be able to practice more now that they are back home.
If the Hornets can grab a few crucial victories during the homestand, it could propel them going forward. They aren’t only in need of a win to snap their losing streak but they are in need of a few wins to get back into the Eastern Conference playoff picture. Charlotte was a top-four team in the East only a few weeks ago, now they are on the outside looking in.
A good showing will prove that the five-game losing streak may have been just a fluke and that the Hornets are still a contender. But a poor showing could prove that this team really isn’t as good as we once thought they were. Only time will tell but this homestand will go a long way in showing Charlotte’s true colors.
This five-game homestand is a huge opportunity for the Charlotte Hornets. This is exactly what the doctor ordered and exactly what they need after losing five straight on the road. There is also the chance that a poor home showing could backfire and hurt the team even more. Hopefully, getting back to familiar settings will help them return to a top team in the East.
