The Charlotte Hornets’ 3-1 start came with a lot to like for Charles Lee, and the head coach made it clear after the close win over the Washington Wizards that the night was about more than Brandon Miller’s scoring burst.
Lee pointed first to how his team handled the swing moments. The Wizards made a push, but Charlotte answered.
He praised the Hornets for responding after that run, while also stressing that a game is never safe until the final horn. He said the team had some lapses in transition defense and in protecting the paint, then highlighted the sequence after the timeout when Brandon Miller came up with a big block at the rim.
Lee said the team’s “shift activity” improved after that, along with the quality of its contests, and he credited the group for settling back into its habits and techniques.
Miller’s performance was a major part of the win, and Lee had plenty to say about it. He called it a big-time night and said the most impressive piece was Miller wanting the ball in clutch situations and understanding what the Hornets needed from those possessions late.
Lee also emphasized the rest of Miller’s defensive work - the deflections, steals, blocked shots in transition, and the 50-50 ball he won along the sideline. In Lee’s view, when your best player is elite on both ends, the team becomes a lot harder to beat.
Lee also said Miller’s growth is being reinforced by the people around him. He described the confidence within the group, saying teammates want him in those moments and keep telling him he is the guy.
Lee mentioned Dennis Schröder, Naz Reid, Moussa Diabaté, Grayson Allen, Kon Knueppel, and Coby White as players who are encouraging Miller to take charge. That support, along with Miller’s own preparation, is helping him settle into those late-game responsibilities.
Tidjane Salaün was another player Lee discussed at length. He said he has loved Salaün’s mindset and approach, especially because young players often assume scoring is the best way to make an impact.
Instead, Lee said Salaün has embraced a defensive-first role, paying attention to personnel tendencies and showing steady progress after a year of learning a new basketball game. Lee pointed to Salaün’s rebounding and defensive activity, and even cited his willingness to ask for tough matchups, saying the young forward is eager to take on players such as Giannis Antetokounmpo or Anthony Davis for however long the team needs.
Lee also talked about Salaün’s offense, noting that he is one of the team’s versatile scorers and can help create space and get downhill to the paint. At the same time, Lee wants him to let the game come to him instead of forcing action.
He said foul trouble limited Salaün’s minutes, but that also made for a useful lesson: even after coming back in, the offense will still find him for open catch-and-shoot threes, and the Hornets will run sets for him. Lee added that he thought Salaün made a number of important defensive plays as well.
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