By Shawn O'Neal
SportsLine NBA Editor

After a fizzlin' start to the season, the Charlotte Hornets are as hot as they come heading down the stretch.

When Anthony Mason and Glen Rice started the season on the shelf and the rest of the Hornets' roster composed of role players, Charlotte lost nine of its first 10 games, its coach and had a better chance of getting hit by a bus than making the playoffs.

Yet, here the Hornets are, competing for a postseason berth with less than two weeks to play in the regular season. Charlotte had won nine consecutive games before its Friday loss at New York and is the hottest -- and most surprising -- team in the league.

The Hornets' improvement is hardly a mystery.

Before Rice was dealt to the Lakers for Elden Campbell and Eddie Jones, the Hornets were 5-12. Since the deal they're 17-9, with five of the losses coming in succession when Bobby Phills was injured.

Jones has become the go-to guy and the usually temperamental Campbell is happy, finally getting a chance to start after laboring behind Shaquille O'Neal in Los Angeles. Campbell's arrival has also allowed Derrick Coleman to slide back to power forward, where he's more effective and bellyaches less.

And with Phills and point guard David Wesley back where they belong -- setting the table instead of running it -- the Hornets could pack a sting come playoff time.

If Charlotte makes the playoffs, the Knicks would likely be out.

It would only seem fair.

The most ill-conceived team in the league finally brought down the ax on one of its front office guys this week, firing general manager Ernie Grunfeld. As usual, however, the Knicks only got it half right.

Madison Square Garden CEO Dave Checketts should be unemployed, too.

Grunfeld is not the only one responsible for the trades that cast off Charles Oakley, John Starks, Chris Mills and Terry Cummings. None of the players traded are All-Stars, but each played a role in making the Knicks one of the toughest teams in the NBA.

They've been replaced by Marcus Camby and Latrell Sprewell -- players with pedigrees but without the fire in the belly the team has been known for.

The old Knicks may have had their problems, but at least they had a soul.

Sizzlin' ... The Countdown

5. His future is now

Tucked away in Denver, Danny Fortson has been having a fine year. The 6-foot-7, 260-pound second-year man from Cincinnati is averaging 10.1 points and 11.4 rebounds, but has been a monster of late, averaging 18 and 17.5. When Raef LaFrentz returns from his injury next year, the Nuggets are going to be tough in the middle.

4. What pressure?

By winning four consecutive, the Atlanta Hawks have taken the high road. While a gaggle of Eastern Conference teams battle for the last four playoff spots, Lenny Wilkens' team has ascended and now appears a good bet to join Miami, Indiana and Orlando in holding home-court advantage in the first round. They still have some work to do and have to avoid a collapse, but for now at least, the pressure on the Hawks has been eased.

3. Stalking the Mailman

The San Antonio Spurs are keeping the pressure on Utah in the Midwest Division. While the Jazz have had their problems lately, the Spurs have continued to win and entered the weekend two games behind Utah. San Antonio has won 24 of its last 28 and is building momentum toward a May 2 home date with the Jazz which looms as a possible battle for the division and conference title.

2. 'Zo long Orlando

Having spent most of the season tracking Orlando, Miami took a step toward winning the Atlantic Division Thursday night, overcoming a 23-point first half and 13-point halftime deficit to pick up the victory over the Magic in the Orena. It also may have given the MVP candidacy of Alonzo Mourning a boost, as he came up with 18 points, 17 rebounds and five blocked shots. He'd need some luck to take the award from Utah's Karl Malone, but if the Jazz fall and Miami surges ... stranger things have happened. Meanwhile, the Magic are in the throes of a five-game losing streak.

1. The sting's the thing

They're not in the playoffs yet, but the Hornets are playing like they want to be there.

Fizzlin' ... The Countdown

5. No luck for the Irish

As bad as the Celtics' season was going, the loss of starters Antoine Walker, Ron Mercer and Kenny Anderson has done nothing to improve the situation. This is the kind of season that stunts teams' growth.

4. Timber tumble

Minnesota has lost 10 of 12, and appears intent on falling out of the playoffs -- a feat which seemed impossible only a week ago.

3. Silly Shaq

Protecting your teammates is one thing. But coming from behind to thwart the aggression of Bimbo Coles -- yes, the dreaded Bimbo Coles -- is better left to the guards. O'Neal was ejected late in the second quarter of the Lakers' game with Golden State Tuesday after shoving Coles, who he outweighs by more than 125 pounds, after the little man tangled with a teammate. Next time, O'Neal might want to pick his spots and opt to stay in the game rather than get ejected for a brainless act.

2. Pippen's night with the police

He's struggled to fit in with Houston all year, but Wednesday night Scottie Pippen added a legal problem to his list of professional woes when he was picked up on suspicion of DWI. On the bright side, it might have been his most aggressive attempt to drive all season.

1. Knocking the Knicks

Playing without a heart, the Knicks are a medical miracle, but a mess of an organization.