For the Charlotte Hornets and Philadelphia 76ers, Saturday's overtime affair in North Carolina was a microcosm of the first month of their respective seasons.
The Hornets have the Eastern Conference's third-best point differential at 4.6 points per game, trailing the Milwaukee Bucks and Toronto Raptors. Meanwhile, the Sixers have outscored their opponents by a paltry 0.1 points per game, good for sixth in the East. Yet after Philadelphia beat Charlotte 122-119 in overtime, it's the 76ers whose 11-7 start has them fourth in the conference standings. The loss dropped the Hornets below .500 at 7-8, putting them eighth in the East.
What has gone right for Philadelphia in close games to allow the Sixers to outperform their point differential? Conversely, why has Charlotte struggled in those situations? And most crucially, should we expect that to continue? Let's take a look.