Nearly 29 games with 23 wins! Data reveals how strong this Hornets team is: They've beaten five of the top six teams from both conferences.

On March 27, Beijing time, the Hornets defeated the Knicks 114-103, securing a 5-game winning streak while ending their opponent's 7-game streak. Notably, among the top three teams in both the Eastern and Western conferences, the Hornets have only not beaten the Pistons; the other five teams (Knicks, Celtics, Thunder, Spurs, Lakers) have all lost to this team currently in the play-in zone.

The Hornets have missed the playoffs for nine consecutive seasons, which is not only the longest current playoff drought in the league but also the longest in Eastern Conference history. As of January 22, their record was only 16 wins and 28 losses, ranking 12th in the East, seemingly about to extend this embarrassing streak to a tenth year.

After defeating the Knicks today, the Hornets have won 23 of their last 29 games, with only the Spurs having a better record during that period. Statistically, the Hornets' performance is far more impressive than their record suggests. They are one of the most dramatically improved teams in NBA history and may already be a sleeping giant in the East.

1. Historic Leap

Before this victory, the Hornets' net rating per 100 possessions this season was still +4.7, ranking sixth in the league. Last season, their net rating per 100 possessions was -9.1, ranking fourth worst in the league. This 13.8-point improvement in net rating per 100 possessions is the second-largest single-season leap in the 30 years since detailed per-possession statistics were tracked in the NBA, only behind the 2007-08 Celtics (14.3-point improvement).

The improvement mainly comes from offense: The Hornets score 11.5 more points per 100 possessions than last season, while their defensive improvement ranks fifth in the league, allowing 2.2 fewer points per 100 possessions. Rebounding is key on both ends: The Hornets are the only team ranking top five in both offensive and defensive rebound rates, whereas last season they ranked eighth and seventeenth respectively.

Health is a core factor. Ball has played 63 games this season, averaging only 35 games per season over the past three years. His playing time alongside Brandon Miller this season has already exceeded Miller's total from his first two career seasons.

More importantly, their effectiveness together has significantly improved: They outscore opponents by 13.7 points per 100 possessions when playing together, whereas over the past two seasons, this metric was -5.5 and +0.5 respectively.

2. Historically Elite Starting Lineup

Before this game, in the 1034 minutes Ball and Miller played together, 404 minutes were with Knupel, Bridges, and Diabat. When this complete starting five played together, they outscored opponents by an astonishing 28.5 points per 100 possessions. This is the highest net efficiency among five-man groups playing at least 250 minutes in the 19 seasons since lineup data has been tracked in the NBA.

This starting lineup has indeed dominated weaker teams: 39% (156 minutes) of their 404 minutes were against the league's bottom ten teams, during which they outscored opponents by 175 points. However, they also performed well against mid-tier teams, not losing any points in 118 minutes against top-ten league teams and even outscoring them by 1 point.

Knupel just became the youngest player ever to make 250 three-pointers in a single season! His three-point shooting ability makes this Hornets team's perimeter even more formidable.

Now, the Hornets still have a chance to compete for a top 6 spot in the East to directly qualify for the playoffs. Given their current strong performance, this goal is not far out of reach. Do you think the Hornets can break their playoff drought this season? Feel free to share your thoughts.