Hornets Are Worst In the NBA in One Particular Statistic

Charlotte comes in dead last in this category.

The Charlotte Hornets have had their fair share of struggles through the first six weeks of the 2023-24 season. Much of those struggles have involved defense. 

Head Coach Steve Clifford ranted about how his team must improve at certain defensive deficiencies after their loss to Minnesota. He has routinely noted that their injury trouble is not a valid excuse for their shortcomings on defense. 

These defensive problems have manifested themselves in several ways for Charlotte, but one of the most glaring is the Hornets' inability to build big leads against any quality opponent. 

For the season, the Hornets currently rank dead last in the NBA for Team Average Biggest Lead. Their average largest lead per game is just 6.2 points. 

Charlotte's biggest lead in any game this season was 15, which they achieved against the Mavericks on November 5. The Hornets have led by double digits in just four out of their 18 games played this year. 

Just ahead of the Hornets in the rankings are the Chicago Bulls at 29th. Though they are only one spot ahead of Charlotte, Chicago's average biggest lead is a full 1.4 points higher than the Hornets' at 7.6. 

This means that the difference between the 30th and 29th-ranked team is greater than the difference between the 29th and 26th-ranked Memphis Grizzlies, who have an average biggest lead of 8.4. 

In short, the Hornets are the worst in the NBA at creating a big advantage on the scoreboard by a wide margin. If the team can improve on some of the defensive habits Steve Clifford emphasized on Saturday, perhaps they can improve this mark soon. 

It's Too Early to Count the Hornets Out

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