No joke, nobody wants to face the Hornets in the playoffs.

The Hornets are on another winning streak. Following today's victory over the Celtics, they have now won six straight games, with each win coming by a margin of at least 15 points, essentially overwhelming their opponents in every contest.

Admittedly, the schedule for these six games wasn't the most challenging. Apart from today's Celtics, the other opponents were the Wizards, Bulls, Pacers, Trail Blazers, and Mavericks. However, the 29-point win over the Celtics today speaks volumes.

Today, the Celtics were essentially controlled by the Hornets from start to finish. Right from the opening tip, the Hornets displayed a terrifying offensive rhythm, maintaining a high shooting percentage throughout. In today's game, the Hornets played 11 guys, and 9 of them made three-pointers—the only two who didn't were Diabaté and Kalkbrenner, who don't shoot threes at all.

The current Hornets are essentially a team of shooters. Aside from the two centers in the frontcourt, everyone can hit from beyond the arc. Moreover, the players in the main rotation are also capable of creating their own shots, relentlessly attacking the Celtics' weakness of their big men being unable to defend on the perimeter.

Their defense has also been excellent recently. Today, they held the Celtics to just 89 points. During this six-game winning streak, they have kept their opponents under 100 points in four of those games. A major reason for this is the return of Diabaté from his suspension.

Diabaté's improvement this season is evident to all. Not only is he a rebounding machine, but his interior protection on defense has also been outstanding. Today, he recorded 9 points and 9 rebounds, including 4 offensive boards. He even led the team with 6 assists, showing he can pass out of the post to set up teammates.

In today's game, the Hornets' three main scorers essentially took turns taking over. In the first quarter, LaMelo Ball hit two threes; in the second, Brandon Miller scored 10 straight points; in the third, "Kang Shen" (likely referring to a player like Konchar or a nickname) knocked down two threes; and in the final quarter, LaMelo Ball added two more circus-like three-pointers.

Credit to LaMelo Ball—he has matured a lot this season. He no longer takes as many "offense-hurting" shots, and on defense, he has better control over his movements, avoiding unnecessary fouls. He still takes some audacious threes, but usually when the game's outcome is already decided, as a sort of reward.

Previously, without reliable teammates, the team gave him unlimited freedom to shoot, which led to some bad habits. This season, as the Hornets' record has gradually improved, he has been able to shed those bad habits, not forcing shots, and playing a more team-oriented game.

After today's win, the Hornets' record stands at 32 wins and 31 losses. Since starting the season 2-1, this is the first time their winning percentage has been above .50. Earlier in the season, after a 27-point road win over the Thunder, their record was only 13-23. In their last 19 games, they have won 16, with two of the three losses occurring when Diabaté was suspended.

Furthermore, the Hornets have been exceptionally strong on the road this season, already securing double-digit victories against teams like the Thunder, Celtics, Nuggets, Rockets, and Lakers. They are currently on a 10-game road winning streak, setting a new franchise record.

Since entering 2026, the Hornets' momentum has skyrocketed. Their offensive efficiency in 2026 ranks first in the league, while their defensive efficiency is fifth. They are averaging 17.8 made threes per game on 39.3% shooting, with a 55.3% rebound rate and 19.3 second-chance points—all of which lead the league.

I've praised "Kang Shen" many times this season, but he continues to provide new material. Today, he scored 20 points on 4-of-8 three-point shooting. In fact, he was 4-of-6 from deep at one point before finishing at 50%. Yesterday, he had a rare off-night, going 1-for-7 from three, but he adjusted immediately.

So far this season, "Kang Shen" has made 216 three-pointers, still the only player in the league with over 200 makes. He now faces significantly more defensive pressure than at the start of the season, rarely getting open looks, yet he maintains remarkably efficient three-point shooting.

Today marked "Kang Shen's" 26th game this season with at least 20 points and a true shooting percentage of at least 65%, tying the NBA rookie single-season record held by Michael Jordan. With 19 games left in the season, it's almost certain he will break the record.

Adding today's +22 plus-minus, "Kang Shen" has a +157 plus-minus in the 8 games since the All-Star break, also leading the league. The Hornets' rise this season fully demonstrates the immense impact a top-tier shooter can have on a team, especially when that shooter is a rookie.

Although the Hornets are still in 9th place in the East, they are only 2.5 games behind the 6th-place 76ers, so catching up is not out of the question. The Hornets have several games coming up against top-three teams from both conferences, but this season they have proven to be giant-killers, and it's entirely possible they could topple some strong teams again.

If the Hornets do manage to squeeze into the playoffs, they would absolutely be a team nobody wants to face. Their offensive ceiling is incredibly high, the entire roster is young, energetic, and plays without pressure. Winning one game would be a bonus, winning two would be a huge steal, and if they advance further, these young players could truly start causing major upsets.