Could Dwyane Wade cost Kemba Walker an All-Star spot?: In April, Dwyane Wade pulled up on the fast break, knocked down his first 3-point make in months, and dashed Charlotte Hornets’ fans visions of the franchise’s first playoff series win since 2001. Wade scored eight points in the final 3:06 of that Game 6 in front of Hornets fans at Time Warner Cable Arena. He traded barbs with “Purple Shirt Guy” in the front row, and two nights later, he only had to play 25 minutes as the Heat blew out the Hornets in Miami. -- Gaston Gazette

Bench Helps Hornets Start Homestand with a Win: The Hornets know there is no better place to get things turned around than on their home court at Spectrum Center. Charlotte did not disappoint on Jan. 18 against Portland, opening its five-game homestand with a 107-85 victory and ending a five-game losing skid. -- Hornets.com

Charlotte gets defensive against Portland to snap its five-game losing streak: After losing five straight games, Charlotte Hornets guard Kemba Walker said he wondered what winning felt like. He can wonder no more after Wednesday's 107-85 defensive-minded win over the Portland Trail Blazers in front of 15,451 at Spectrum Center. -- Gaston Gazette

Hornets get glimpse of old Roy Hibbert - for one night, anyway: Sometime around 10 Thursday morning Charlotte Hornets center Roy Hibbert will walk into Spectrum Center, head straight to the training room, and begin "the regimen." It takes at least two hours to get his body – and particularly his right knee – ready to practice or play. There are more than 16,000 NBA minutes on this 30-year-old’s body and the past two seasons have not been kind. -- The Charlotte Observer

Roy Hibbert gives bench a lift in Charlotte Hornets’ win against Portland Trail Blazers: For a guy who didn’t even play in the previous game Monday against the Boston Celtics, Charlotte Hornets reserve center Roy Hibbert sure had a night. Hibbert scored a season-high 16 points and even an attempted lob pass fell through the rim, as the Hornets broke a five-game losing streak with a 107-85 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers at Spectrum Center. -- The Charlotte Observer

If Hornets intend to be more than a playoff annoyance, they’ll need to make changes: The Charlotte Hornets went winless on the five-game road trip they completed Monday. Two victories would have made the trip a success, but they couldn’t beat the Detroit Pistons and they couldn’t beat the Philadelphia 76ers. (The 76ers no longer are the 76ers, of course. Their 20-year plan finally is yielding results. They’ve won six of their past eight.) Charlotte gets five consecutive games at home, beginning Wednesday with the Portland Trail Blazers. -- The Charlotte Observer