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The fans of the Charlotte Hornets exist in a peculiar sort of purgatory, one that stems from the team having not made the playoffs since 2016 and having not won an NBA playoff series since 2002. They want to “Bee-lieve,” as the team’s marketing department implores them to, that this season will finally be different. And it has had more positive signs than most. But still, in games like Sunday’s 105-101 home loss to Atlanta, the word “almost” too often drapes itself around the Hornets like an albatross. Charlotte overcame a horrible start and all of an early 17-point deficit to actually lead by…
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