The Charlotte Hornets are starting to show signs of life - and it’s not just a blip. With a narrow win over the Washington Wizards, they’ve now taken four of their last six, pushing their record to 18-28.
Sure, they're still ten games under .500, but this stretch feels different. It’s not just about the wins - it’s about how they’re winning, and who is leading the charge.
Two of those four wins came on the road against legitimate title contenders in the Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Lakers. That’s not something you stumble into.
That’s a young team starting to believe in itself, and more importantly, starting to figure out how to win in tough environments. For a franchise that’s been stuck in the rebuild cycle for years, this recent stretch feels like the beginning of something more sustainable.
The engine behind this run? Brandon Miller.
The second-year forward is blossoming into the kind of player Charlotte hoped for when they took him No. 2 overall in the 2023 Draft. Over the last six games, Miller has scored at least 20 points in every outing, averaging 23.7 points per game with a scorching 65.3 true shooting percentage.
That’s not just volume scoring - that’s efficient, high-level production. He’s not forcing shots; he’s taking what the defense gives him and making them pay.
Saturday’s performance was a snapshot of what makes Miller so intriguing. He flirted with a triple-double - 20 points, 10 rebounds, 7 assists - and did it while missing just four shots.
That kind of all-around impact is what separates good scorers from true stars. He wasn’t just filling up the stat sheet; he was dictating the game’s rhythm, making the right reads, and elevating the players around him.
And the numbers back up just how vital Miller is to Charlotte’s success. The Hornets are 15-14 when he’s in the lineup.
Without him? Just 3-14.
That’s not a coincidence - that’s cause and effect. He’s become the heartbeat of this team, and when he’s on the floor, they look like a group that can at least hang with - and sometimes beat - the league’s best.
Of course, he’s not doing it alone. LaMelo Ball, Kon Knueppel, and other young pieces are giving Charlotte a foundation that finally feels like it has upward momentum.
But Miller is the one turning potential into production. He averaged 21 points last season, and he’s right around 20 again this year with two full months still to go.
The consistency is there. The growth is obvious.
And the confidence? It’s starting to spill over into the rest of the locker room.
This team still has a long way to go. But for the first time in a while, the Hornets aren’t just playing out the string - they’re building something. And at the center of it is a 21-year-old forward who’s quickly turning into the kind of player you can build around.