Fansided

5 NBA teams that could use some luck in the new year

By Dylan Hughes

Aug 1, 2014; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Team USA guard Paul George is carted off the floor on a gurney after suffering a lower leg injury during the USA Basketball Showcase at Thomas & Mack Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 1, 2014; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Team USA guard Paul George is carted off the floor on a gurney after suffering a lower leg injury during the USA Basketball Showcase at Thomas & Mack Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports /
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Nov 15, 2014; Oakland, CA, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard Lance Stephenson (1) stands on the court during a break in the action against the Golden State Warriors in the third quarter at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the Hornets 112-87. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 15, 2014; Oakland, CA, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard Lance Stephenson (1) stands on the court during a break in the action against the Golden State Warriors in the third quarter at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the Hornets 112-87. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports /

Charlotte Hornets

All the Hornets needed from becoming one of the East’s elite was a legit wing to play alongside Kemba Walker in the backcourt. That’s all they needed, and that’s what they got. Or so they thought.

After striking out on Utah’s Gordon Hayward, Charlotte saw Lance Stephenson as a good second option. After inking him to a three-year deal, Michael Jordan and the Hornets thought they were on the rise to the top. Instead, they are battling with Detroit, New York, and Philadelphia as the East’s worst to offer. The Pistons are on a four-game winning streak after waiving Josh Smith, and the Sixers are happy to be bad. So really, of the teams in the East trying to win, the Hornets and Knicks are really the two saddest stories.

With Stephenson continuing to battle a pelvic strain and Al Jefferson now out at least a month with a groin strain, Charlotte could get even worse than it already is. For the Hornets, they need luck in a lot of areas, but specifically just getting it together. Stephenson has clearly had a tough time fitting on the team, and getting him healthy and making him useful could help Charlotte make a push for the 8th seed in the East. They just really need some luck, and that’s really all there is to it.

Next: Injury Prone Pacers

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