They were coming off a brutally lethargic defeat. The team they were facing was still on the rise, climbing the Eastern Conference standings while the Hornets instead floundered.
It’s a combination that felt ripe for a rough end to their mini two-game road trip.
But these are the Charlotte Hornets we’re talking about. Just when you think you have them pegged, they pull something akin to what transpired in Wednesday night’s impressive 119-98 win over Cleveland at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse.
Maybe this one can be chalked up to bad memories. There was no amnesia for the Hornets, not after the wild outcome against the Cavaliers in Charlotte last month that had them bewildered thanks to some botched calls by the officials, only made worse when the league’s two-minute report was released less than 24 hours later.