The first half of the Charlotte Hornets’ season has incinerated their playoff chances, right? This team can’t possibly bounce back from a 15-23 start to be one of the eight playoff teams in the Eastern Conference, right?
Wrong, actually. According to Elias Sports Bureau, dozens of teams in NBA history had 15 or fewer victories at this juncture in an 82-game NBA season, and still reached the playoffs. Among the more recent examples: The Hornets.
The 2013-14 team, then still called the Bobcats, were also 15-23 after 38 games. They finished 43-39 (although it took the Bobcats winning eight of their last nine games to reach that record).