The Hornets Clinched a Winning Season — but Their Eyes Are on Something Bigger

It's only been a few years since the Charlotte Hornets last had a winning season (2021-22), but with all of the bad injury luck the team has had in recent years, it's probably felt like a decade for most fans.

With their 129-108 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Friday night, they collected win No. 42, officially clinching a winning season.

"Really happy with that accomplishment," said Hornets head coach Charles Lee. "We'll sit back, and we’ll talk about it at the end of the season. Right now, this is still a group that's getting better, that's focused on trying to do so much more. The group is hungry. I'm hungry. We can talk about some of that stuff at the end of the year.”

Brandon Miller echoed similar sentiments, making it clear that there's still plenty of work to be done.

“It’s a great achievement, but we all know our goal here," Miller said. "We've worked hard for a long time now, so just keep coming in every day with the daily consistency and just keep playing together and do what we do, and I think it’ll take us a long way.”

The signs of a mature group

Apr 3, 2026; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (1) and forward Brandon Miller (24) watch a free throw attempt during the second half against the Indiana Pacers at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

This team takes its work very seriously. You can tell after losses that it really bothers them and that they are ready to get back on the floor and get back in the win column. If someone has a big night in a loss, it doesn't matter. They're not in the locker room throwing water on said player and instead, are in there discussing what they need to do to make adjustments against certain defenses and looks that they see.

Since the start of the year, the Hornets have only dropped consecutive games four times and have yet to lose three in a row. They have done a magnificent job of responding to adversity, including when Miles Bridges and Moussa Diabaté were suspended earlier this season for their roles in the brawl against the Pistons. They nearly came back and won that game, won the next game, fell short in the next two, and then beat Washington.

The one thing I've always said about young, talented teams is that they become dangerous when they believe, and this team truly believes it can go far this postseason.

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