The Good, Bad and Ugly Of Week 15 Of The 2025-26 NBA Season
Feb 3, 2026
Week 15 was the tale of two teams headed in completely different directions as the Charlotte Hornets continued to dominate everyone in their path, while the Brooklyn Nets did the exact opposite. The week was capped off by the always-popular All-Star Game snub conversation as the reserves were announced for the annual NBA showcase of stars.
The Good:
The Charlotte Hornets are currently one of, if not the hottest, teams in the NBA. Winners of eight of their last ten games, Charlotte wrapped up January with a 37-point victory over the Philadelphia 76ers, a fifteen-point win against the Memphis Grizzlies, a two-point barn burner against the Dallas Mavericks, and a five-point defeat of the San Antonio Spurs. That means they knocked off Tyrese Maxey, Jaren Jackson Jr., Cooper Flagg, and Victor Wembanyama all in the span of a week. That’s a who’s who of the NBA’s brightest young stars. Brandon Miller, rookie sensation Kon Knueppel, and LaMelo Ball are combining for over 57 points per game, and suddenly, the team that won just 21 games last season looks like they've figured something out. Already besting last year’s win total, the young core is clicking at exactly the right time and has its sights set on a play-in berth.
The Bad:
The 2026 All-Star reserves announcement left some deserving players on the outside looking in. Most notable is the absence of a member of the LA Clippers, who will host the game at their own Intuit Dome without a single representative. Despite Kawhi Leonard and James Harden's strong statistical seasons and the team's recent success, both were left off the roster. Other notable snubs include Alperen Sengun, Joel Embiid, Julius Randle, and Derrick White, despite impressive individual seasons. LeBron James's 22nd selection raised eyebrows given his 17 missed games, highlighting how legacy sometimes beats out current performance.
The Ugly:
Just when you thought the Brooklyn Nets couldn't get any worse, they did. After getting embarrassed 126–89 by the Clippers on January 25th, Brooklyn hit rock bottom with a 130–77 loss to Detroit, the most lopsided victory in Pistons franchise history. The 53-point margin is now the second 50+ point loss Brooklyn has suffered this season, joining a 54-point drubbing by the Knicks. At 13–35, it goes without saying that the Nets are officially in full tank mode, and with star Michael Porter Jr. likely to be traded before the deadline, the remaining 34 games will be extremely painful for Nets fans (if there still are any) to sit through.
