The NBA released its 2024-25 schedule yesterday, bringing hope and concern to Charlotte Hornets fans. The good news is that the Hornets will appear on national television seven times – six times on NBA TV (Nov. 21 vs. Detroit, Nov. 29 vs. New York, Dec. 28 vs. Oklahoma City, Jan. 20 vs. Dallas, Mar. 3 vs. Golden State and Apr. 6 vs. Chicago) and once on ESPN (Jan. 17 vs. Chicago).

The season opens with a tough challenge, however. Six of the Hornets’ first 10 games are against playoff contenders, including a daunting back-to-back against the Boston Celtics. The Hornets will need to start strong and set the tone early to earn a play-in spot.

The schedule will be more intense as the Hornets will have to complete a grueling five-game road trip starting on January 9, with stops in Los Angeles (Lakers and Clippers), Phoenix, Utah and Chicago. For the first time in franchise history, the Hornets will play nine home games from January 24 to February 7, but that will be followed by an eight-game road trip from February 9 to February 27, which includes the All-Star break. With 15 back-to-back games throughout the season, the Hornets will have plenty of opportunities to prove themselves.

These challenging stretches and high-profile matchups could define the Hornets’ season. Let’s dive deeper into these crucial games and find out why they matter in Charlotte’s quest to become a playoff contender.

3 Hornets regular season matchups to watch early

October 23 @ Houston

The Hornets will travel to Houston to face the up-and-coming Rockets in their season opener. Last season, the Rockets exceeded expectations, finishing 41-41 and securing 11th place in the Western Conference – a significant improvement over previous years. Their success was largely due to the signing of Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks as free agents. VanVleet solidified the point guard position and averaged 17.4 points, 8.1 assists and 3.8 rebounds on 41% shooting, including 38% from the three-point line. Brooks contributed 12.7 points and 3.4 rebounds, bringing a new level of aggressiveness to the court.

“Under new coach Ime Udoka, the Rockets became a top-15 team after previously being among the league’s worst. Alperen Sengun’s breakout season, in which he averaged 21.1 points, 9.3 rebounds and 5.0 assists, earned him third place in voting for the biggest improvement in performance.

Houston’s quiet offseason has seen them bring back much of the same roster. They selected Reed Sheppard with the third pick in the 2024 draft. Sheppard impressed during summer league and showed why some argued he should have gone first. While he may still find his role, his potential impact on this game could be significant.

Last season, the Rockets beat the Hornets 2-0, with an average point differential of 16.5 points. With both teams likely rusty early in the season, this game presents the Hornets with a great opportunity to pick up a win against a tough opponent. The Hornets will need to fix the defensive mistakes that plagued them last year if they want to reverse the outcome this time around.

November 1st against Boston

In back-to-back home games, the Hornets face the defending champion Boston Celtics. To be the best, you have to beat the best, and that’s undoubtedly what the Celtics were last season. They dominated with a 64-18 record in the regular season and went 16-3 in the playoffs. Offensively, the Celtics were a force, ranking 2nd in points per game (120.6), 1st in offensive rating (123.2), and leading the league in three-pointers made and attempted (16.5 and 42.5). Defensively, they were equally impressive, ranking 5th in opponents’ points per game (109.2) and 3rd in defensive rating (111.6).

During the offseason, the Celtics made it a priority to retain the core players who led them to the title. Although they lost assistant coach Charles Lee, they secured long-term contracts with Jayson Tatum (a five-year, $304 million contract extension), Derrick White (a four-year, $125.9 million contract extension) and Sam Hauser (a four-year, $45 million contract extension).

However, there was also controversy in the offseason. Tatum and Jaylen Brown were at the center of a debate over Team USA. Despite being the MVP of the Finals and a top player in both directions, Brown was controversially left off Team USA, sparking a public debate. Tatum, who made the team, played limited minutes, which confused some fans. As the season begins, both players will be eager to prove themselves and make strong statements on the court.

Last season, the Celtics won the series 2-1. In the losses, the Hornets trailed by 23.5 points, but still managed to pull out a 121-118 overtime victory on November 20. The Hornets face a tough challenge against the motivated champions and will have to do their best to keep up.

November 6 against Detroit

The Detroit Pistons and Hornets struggled in the Eastern Conference last season, but their offseason changes could make this matchup exciting. Last season, the Pistons attracted attention for all the wrong reasons. After a promising 2-1 start, they set an NBA record by losing 28 consecutive games. In addition to that historic streak, the Pistons suffered four separate losing streaks of six games or more. Wins were hard to come by, as the Pistons managed just three two-game winning streaks all season.

This summer, the Pistons underwent a major revamp. They parted ways with general manager Troy Weaver and head coach Monty Williams and brought in Trajan Langdon and JB Bickerstaff to lead the franchise. At the draft, the Pistons selected Ron Holland with the fifth overall pick in the first round and traded up 16 spots in the second round to select Bobi Klintman. They acquired much-needed veteran players in free agency by trading Tim Hardaway Jr. from the Dallas Mavericks and signing Tobias Harris and Malik Beasley. They also re-signed Simone Fontecchio and extended Cade Cunningham’s contract to a $200 million rookie max deal.

What makes this game particularly exciting is the budding rivalry. On Jeff Teague’s podcast, Green joked that he would prefer a trade to the Pistons over a trade to the Hornets, quipping, “Don’t trade me to Charlotte.” This playful dig didn’t sit well with Miles Bridges, who responded with a barrage of middle finger emojis. This playful back-and-forth motivates the Hornets, who are looking to prove themselves as an up-and-coming team in the Eastern Conference. The Pistons swept the Hornets 3-0 last season, but this year’s revamped rosters could shift the balance of the rivalry.

Finally

The Charlotte Hornets’ 2024-25 season offers a mix of challenging matchups and growth opportunities. With a revamped roster and a chip on their shoulder, the Hornets have the potential to surprise opponents and establish themselves as contenders in the Eastern Conference. Whether they face defending champions or newly formed rivals, each game will test their resolve and ability to rise above last season’s adversities. This season will be critical in determining the Hornets’ trajectory and proving they belong among the league’s elite.