Zach Lowe's Hornets take immediately raises some uncomfortable Raptors questions

"I think they are indisputably the fifth-best team in the Eastern Conference. I think they are better than Toronto. I think they are the fifth-best team in the Eastern Conference. The record will not show it because they got off to such a bad start."

"Charlotte entered February with a losing record at 22-28. Just a little over a month later, the Hornets have more wins than losses. Led by LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, and Kon Knueppel, the team won 16 of its last 20 games-including some major victories over top teams."

"The Hornets haven't made the playoffs since the 2015-16 season. So, just getting into the postseason, even if it's as a low seed that gets eliminated quickly, would be a huge win. It would also bode well for the team's future with the young core."

The Toronto Raptors currently hold the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference with a 35-27 record, but analyst Zach Lowe argues the Charlotte Hornets are actually the fifth-best team in the conference despite their 32-31 record. Lowe attributes the Hornets' lower standing to their poor early-season start. The Hornets have demonstrated impressive form recently, winning 16 of their last 20 games with victories over Philadelphia, San Antonio, Houston, and Boston. Led by LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, and Kon Knueppel, Charlotte is mounting a significant turnaround. This raises questions about Toronto's true competitive standing and whether they can maintain their position against the Hornets' improving young core.

Read at Raptors Rapture