Predicting every game on the Charlotte Hornets' schedule in January

Here's how the Hornets could do in January.

Zach Roberts | Jan 2, 2025

Dec 28, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Charlotte Hornets center Mark Williams (5) takes a shot against Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) during the first quarter at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images / Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

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Charlotte Hornets

The Charlotte Hornets limped through December and won a single game. It was a dismal month to close out a largely disappointing year. In 2025, they will have their hands full trying to turn things around after losing 25 of their first 32 contests.

They won't be able to get it all back right away, so they need to take it game-by-game. That starts this Friday with a matchup against the Detroit Pistons, the very first time the Hornets will play in 2025. Here's how they could fare this month.

Predicting how the Hornets will do in January

The Hornets have 15 games in January. First up? The Detroit Pistons. The Hornets head on the road to take on a team that has twice as many wins (plus one) as Charlotte does. That said, this one could be a win. They historically play Detroit well, and they should be pretty healthy for it.

After that, they visit the NBA-leading Cleveland Cavaliers. Sure, anything can happen, except the Hornets winning this game. It probably won't be close. They return home to host Kevin Durant and the Phoenix Suns. The Suns have been disappointing so far, but they still have three players the Hornets will struggle with. That's another loss.

On January 9, the Hornets begin a lengthy road trip out west. They take on the Los Angeles Lakers, a team that is currently four games above .500. LeBron James owns the Hornets, and he'll flex his 40-year-old muscles again. The Los Angeles Clippers follow, and that will be another Hornets loss in LA.

On Sunday, January 12, the Hornets see the Suns again. If they couldn't beat them at home, they're not beating them on the road near the end of a tiresome road trip. After Phoenix, a team as bad as Charlotte hosts the Hornets. The 7-25 Utah Jazz will be Charlotte's second win in January.

For some reason, the Hornets and Chicago Bulls cannot play well against one another. In two games, they've tied the NBA record for missed threes both times. On January 17, the Hornets visit the Bulls. This time, they should be able to steal a win.

It's unlikely that Luka Doncic will be healthy by January 20 when the Hornets return home to host the Dallas Mavericks. It won't matter, because Kyrie Irving and PJ Washington will probably be. The Hornets will leave home to visit the Memphis Grizzlies, a team with more than three times the Hornets' win total. That one won't be close, either.

Getting to host the Portland Trail Blazers at home is another winnable game, and the Hornets should be healthy enough to win that one. A two-game winning streak is possible then, as the New Orleans Pelicans, a five-win team right now, come to town the very next night. Despite the back-to-back, Charlotte should win that one, too.

The Lakers, Brooklyn Nets, and Clippers round out January's schedule. The Hornets certainly can beat the Nets, but they're stuck in the middle of two really good teams, so the Hornets, who can lose any game with ease, will lose all three to end the month.

January record: 5-10. Overall record by this point: 12-35.