Hornets HC Charles Lee already has team looking drastically improved

Charles Lee is entering his first season as an NBA head coach, but the former Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks assistant has been part of a championship-winning coaching staff on two occasions. He had a reputation as one of the best assistants in the NBA before taking the Charlotte Hornets hot seat.

On Tuesday, the Hornets secured the first win of their preseason, bouncing back from their 111-109 loss to the New York Knicks with a 111-108 victory against the Miami Heat.

“I think that it was a mindset shift," Lee said. "...I also just really thought that everyone chipped in. Everybody did their job in the second half. We valued the ball a little bit more. Even at the end of the game, we watched that clip again as a team, and the bench is up the whole time supporting the guys on the court. It was a great collective victory.”

In previous years, the Hornets have been accused of being too lackadaisical when it comes to competitive spirit. Far too often, Charlotte has been seen as an easy out, with almost every game on the schedule chalked up as a loss before the season begins. It would appear those days are over.

Lee will demand a competitive mindset from his team and in return, he will ensure they're capable of challenging for a playoff spot in the near future.

Against Miami, LaMelo Ball , Miles Bridges, Tre Mann and Tidjane Salaun all scored in double digits. Outside of Grant Williams — who was out of the rotation due to a hamstring injury — Charlotte was at full strength, and they looked like a team capable of causing some upsets in the coming season.

“Our competitive energy. I thought the effort that we gave was good,” Lee said after Charlotte's loss to New York on Sunday. “We kind of lost all the statistical margins... field goal attempts, three-point attempts, free throws, turnovers, offensive rebounds, and second-chance points. And the fact that you still lose the game by two points shows you did enough competitively to give yourself a chance to win that game.”

Lee has the ideal job for a first-time head coach. Charlotte's front office figures to be patient with him as he molds and develops the young talent on his roster. While any success the franchise enjoys will be attributed to the work he and his staff are putting in.

The Hornets could be a serious thorn in the side of the Eastern Conference this season. They already look like they're playing a tougher brand of basketball. If they can stay healthy, a postseason appearance isn't out of the question and that should worry other franchises around the middle of the conference.