What Hornets’ streak-busting loss to Philadelphia means in NBA playoff chase

Charlotte, N.C. – The Hornets walked off the Spectrum Center floor late Saturday knowing they had let more than a game slip away. A 118-114 defeat to the visiting Philadelphia 76ers halted Charlotte’s momentum and, more importantly, dented the club’s bid to escape the Eastern Conference play-in fray with only eight days left in the regular season.

A victory would have nudged the Hornets—now 39-35—into a virtual tie for seventh place and within striking distance of sixth-seed Atlanta, granting them a realistic path to secure a first-round series without the sudden-death tension of the play-in bracket. Instead, they remain on the outside looking in, saddled with the league’s longest active postseason drought and a ticking clock.

“We know these last couple games, we’ve got to fight, we’ve got to claw away to improve our odds of making the playoffs,” guard Coby White said after leading the bench with 16 points, four rebounds and two assists. “It was hurt in the locker room.”

The hurt stemmed largely from a fourth-quarter collapse. Charlotte, which had poured in at least 28 points in each of the first three periods, managed just 17 in the final 12 minutes while shooting 5-for-22 on two-point attempts. Philadelphia outscored the Hornets 26-17 down the stretch, capitalizing on every lapse.

“In that fourth quarter especially, just our defensive focus started to wane a little bit as we were missing shots,” second-year head coach Charles Lee said. “Too many guys just driving without that physicality piece. Too many back doors, too many offensive rebounds in clutch moments.”

Lee, who earlier in the week admitted he and his staff constantly monitor scoreboard scenarios, reiterated the one-day-at-a-time mantra. “We try to focus on what we can control, which is our daily process. The game right in front of us … you just got to go 1-0 that day.”

Rookie Brandon Miller, still developing his two-way identity, said the team must avoid the emotional swing that accompanies cold shooting. “If you’re making shots or if you’re not making shots, you’ve still got to have the two-way mindset,” he emphasized.

White, acquired from Chicago at February’s trade deadline, has stabilized the second unit; Charlotte’s reserves outscored Philadelphia’s 33-21 on the night. “I just want to be aggressive,” White said. “The coaches trust me to make the right play … How can I impact winning?”

Philadelphia’s coaching staff, meanwhile, continued to marvel at rookie standout Knueppel, who entered the night leading the NBA with 253 three-pointers—an unprecedented figure for a player 22 or younger. Coach Nick Nurse recalled scouting the sharpshooter before the 2025 draft and praised his multidimensional impact: scoring, toughness, basketball IQ and willingness to do the dirty work.

The Hornets will get an immediate chance to rebound when they close the seven-game homestand Sunday against Boston. With the postseason picture tightening by the hour, anything short of a victory could relegate Charlotte to scoreboard-watching mode for the season’s final week.