When Al Jefferson went down with a groin injury, playoff hopes for the Charlotte Hornets went down with him.

Their first game without Jefferson resulted in a loss to the Houston Rockets, placing our beloved buzz in the 12th seed of the Eastern Conference and four games out of a playoff spot.

The Hornets were done, right? Wrong.

Since that time, two heroes have emerged – one likely, and one out of the depths of the shadows. These two saviors are Kemba Walker and…Bismack Biyombo? Yes, Bismack Biyombo.

In Charlotte’s ten January games, Biyombo has been putting up 6.9 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks per game. Of those nine rebounds, four have been offensive boards. In fact, Biyombo had three straight games with seven offensive rebounds this month.

Biz’s rebounding efforts have been a major reason why the Hornets are top-ten in the league this month in second chance points at 14.8 per game. For an offense that struggles to score, these additional points have been absolutely vital.

Let’s not forget about Biyombo’s electrifying effort on the defensive end of the court either. With Biz playing extended minutes, Charlotte has been the top team in the league in defensive rating (average number points allowed per 100 possessions) at 90.8.

Biz has become the epitome of a rim-protector, even notching five blocks in a close loss to the San Antonio Spurs. In fact, Biyombo has tallied at least one block in every game this month except for two (Cleveland and New Orleans).

Even if he’s not blocking the shot, Biz’s presence in the paint is enough to alter how an opponent shoots. Players know he’s poised to swat anyone’s shot away, which causes them to do one of two things: they either alter their shot, adding arc or putting it higher off the glass, or they avoid shooting inside altogether and kick the ball out for a lower-percentage shot.

While his stats can speak for themselves, his numbers aren’t what have been his biggest contribution.

With a losing record, injuries, and the negative publicity of Lance Stephenson trade rumors, the air was taken out of this city. Biyombo’s athletic plays have helped bring hope and excitement back to the Queen City. While that won’t show up on the stat sheets, it goes a long way for the players and fans alike.

Now that Al Jefferson is working his way back into the lineup, it will be interesting to see how head coach, Steve Clifford, handles playing time. I doubt he would play both Jefferson and Biyombo at the same time, so odds are we’ll be seeing less Biz as the games go on.

That being said, knowing that Biyombo has made huge strides in his progression will allow Clifford to rest Jefferson more down the stretch and ensure a healthy, energetic rotation at the five spot, should the Hornets find themselves in the playoffs.