The Charlotte Hornets lost their opening game in the 2025 NBA Cup, falling to the Miami Heat 126-108 on Friday. While it is only the first of five contests in the group stage, the odds of the Hornets making it to the knockout phase are iffy. As it turned out, the quality of their opponents they were drawn with is just too unfavorable for them.
When the groups were announced in August, it looked like Charlotte would have the opportunity to make some noise in the in-season tournament. At that point, the team didn't appear to have a chance of reaching the 2026 playoffs by any means.