Gallery: 2/11
10. Charlotte
Record: 17-13
Last week: Unranked
Steve Clifford's Hornets have won three straight, most recently taking care of the Bulls with guard Nicolas Batum (20 points, 11 rebounds, ten assists) tallying his first triple-double of the season. The run comes on the heels of a stretch in which Charlotte lost four straight, all on the road, with Clifford citing the team's lack of toughness in a loss to the Wizards in Washington. Since then the Hornets have gotten back to the basics, limiting three of their four opponents to fewer than 100 points. Kemba Walker's still leading the way offensively, with five other Hornets averaging between 10.3 and 14.2 points per game, but it's the defense that will determine just how far Charlotte can go. (Getty)
