The Charlotte Hornets have extended their winning streak to seven games, bolstering their hopes for a playoff berth in the NBA.
Charlotte defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 102-95 in their 2025-2026 NBA regular season home game at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Thursday. With the seven-game winning streak, the Hornets improved to 23-28, placing them 11th in the Eastern Conference. Charlotte's streak began with a victory against the Orlando Magic on January 23.
Thursday's win brightened Charlotte's prospects for postseason basketball. The Hornets now trail the Atlanta Hawks (24-27), who hold the 10th spot as the final play-in tournament position, by just one game. They are also only six games behind the Philadelphia 76ers (28-21), who occupy the sixth seed as the last direct playoff berth. Given their recent surge, Charlotte appears capable of competing for a direct playoff spot over their remaining 31 games.
LaMelo Ball led the Hornets with 24 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists. Kobe Kneefall (17 points, 9 rebounds), Grant Williams (16 points, 9 rebounds) and Brandon Miller (16 points, 8 rebounds) also contributed double-digit scoring. For New Orleans, Trey Murphy III scored 27 points but could not prevent the team's defeat. The Pelicans dropped their second consecutive game, falling to 13-39 and 14th place in the Western Conference.