This Charlotte Hornets lineup leads the league in net rating

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This Charlotte Hornets lineup leads the league in net rating originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Charlotte Hornets are finally beginning to get healthy again and success is beginning to show. Saturday night, the team welcomed Ryan Kalkbrenner back from an elbow strain, an injury that caused him to miss 10 games.

They also welcomed Grant Williams back into the fold, as he made his season debut after recovering from a torn meniscus and ACL. Now, third-string center Mason Plumlee is the only player on the Hornets' injured list.

Amidst their return, the Hornets dominated. Charlotte scored 45 points in the first quarter and defeated the Jazz by a whopping 55 points, the largest win by any team this season.

Nine Hornets finished in double-figures during the blowout, Charlotte's second largest win in franchise history.

With the win, the Hornets continue to prove themselves as a force to be reckoned with when healthy. Among five-man lineups with a minimum of 70 minutes played together this season, the Hornets' lineup of LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, Kon Knueppel, Miles Bridges and Moussa Diabate has the highest net rating. Their net rating of +41.4 is much higher than second place (28.5) which belongs to the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder.

Although Charlotte is healthy, they still have a long way to go. The Hornets currently sit 12th in the Eastern Conference, 4 1/2 games behind the Chicago Bulls for the 10th seed and the final Play-In Tournament spot.

The final four games on their current West Coast road trip will be a good test. Charlotte returns to action Monday against the Los Angeles Clippers, winners of eight of their last 10 games.