Seven Teams Got An A This Season, and Charlotte's Turnaround Is the Most Shocking One Yet
The NBA regular season just wrapped, and it was wild. Portland secured the 7-seed out West Tuesday night, Charlotte pulled off an overtime thriller to punch a ticket to the play-in tournament, and now we've got a full picture of how all 30 franchises actually performed against their preseason expectations. Some teams soared. Some crashed. And a select few absolutely blew everyone away.
The Charlotte Story That Nobody Saw Coming
Let's start with the most jaw-dropping one. Charlotte went 44-38 this season. ESPN had them penciled in for 26 wins. Not 26-56 as a floor. Just 26 wins, period. The entire league thought this was a tank year, a chance for the young guys to gain experience while the Hornets loaded up for the loaded 2026 draft class. Instead, they went 18-9 after the All-Star break and clawed their way into the play-in tournament to chase their first playoff series in a decade. That is not just exceeding expectations. That is obliterating them. And even with Friday's play-in game still ahead, the season is already an unqualified success in Buzz City.
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The Celtics earned an A too. They were 56-26, which doesn't sound shocking until you remember that Jayson Tatum dealt with a torn right Achilles, which forced Boston to trade away Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday while losing Al Horford in free agency. That roster reshuffle looked brutal on paper. But Joe Mazzulla turned in a Coach of the Year caliber season, and Jaylen Brown had what amounts to a career-redefining year. With Tatum rounding into form over a 16-game stretch heading into the playoffs, the 2024 champs are back as conference favorites.
Detroit is the other story that needs your attention. The Pistons went 60-22 this season. That's only happened twice in franchise history. These guys were 14-68 two years ago and 44-38 last year. The jump to 60 wins is staggering. Cade Cunningham became an MVP candidate, Jalen Duren evolved into a legit star, and the Pistons are menacing the East again.
Phoenix Made a Miracle Happen
The Suns were supposed to tank. Vegas had them finishing last in the West. Instead, they went 45-37 and flirted with a top-six seed all season long. That's an A-grade performance when everyone had written them off.
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