Every NBA team's best iteration ever

Every NBA team’s best iteration ever

PORTLAND, OR - 1987: Head Coach Pat Riley leads Magic Johnson #32, Byron Scott #4, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar #33 during a game played circa 1987 at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Portland, Oregon. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1987 NBAE (Photo by Brian Drake/NBAE via Getty Images) /

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CHARLOTTE – MARCH 14: Alonzo Mourning #33 of the Charlotte Hornets dunks on March 14, 1994 at the Charlotte Coliseum in Charlotte, North Carolina. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1994 NBAE (Photo by Chris Covatta/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Charlotte Hornets: 1994-95

The Charlotte Hornets looked like they had turned a corner in the 1994-95 season. They had been a team that showed nascent promise the previous two seasons with their young front court of Alonzo Mourning and Larry Johnson, but had been unable to really put it together, even missing the playoffs the year before. Yet in 1995, the Hornets won 50 games for the first time in franchise history while both Johnson and Mourning were All-Stars. In addition to their front court stars, the Hornets also featured the reliable Muggsy Bogues as their point guard, former All Star Hersey Hawkins at the 2, and the sharp shooting Dell Curry as their sixth man.

Unfortunately, the Hornets were the No. 4 seed and were matched up against the No. 5 seeded Chicago Bulls in the first round, which would have been fine apart from the fact that the Bulls featured Michael Jordan, who had just returned from playing baseball. Jordan showed no rust in the opening round, averaging over 30 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists per game as they dispatched the Hornets in four games.

The Hornets nevertheless looked primed for a bright future despite their early playoff exit, but it was not to be as Alonzo Mourning was traded that offseason for Glen Rice and spare parts. While Rice, along with Anthony Mason — who the Hornets got in return for Larry Johnson during the summer of 1996 — would eventually lead the Hornets out of the first round, their ceiling was never as high again and Hornets fans were left to wonder what could have been.

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