Charles Lee has just become the first Charlotte Hornets head coach to be awarded Coach of the Month honors since Steve Clifford in the 2015-16 season. Perhaps the fans who were quick to call for his head during the team’s struggles should send him an apology.
It’s only fitting for Lee to seize the prize after his impressive work with the Hornets in January. They had an 11-6 record during the month, also recording the best offense in the league and a top-five defense in terms of defensive rating.
Some of the opponents they defeated last month included the top three seeds in the Western Conference, the Oklahoma City Thunder, San Antonio Spurs, and Denver Nuggets. Two of those were blowouts. It’s also worth noting that the Hornets have the highest margin of victory in the league this season, beating the Utah Jazz by 55 points in early January.
Charles Lee finally getting the recognition he deserves
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Charlotte’s impressive run, which also includes extending its winning streak after its first game in February, has had people gushing about the fine play of its core players.
LaMelo Ball has silenced the crowd that has insisted he is an unserious hoopsters with his genius playmaking, controlled offense, and high effort on defense. Brandon Miller has emerged as the team’s top scorer and vocal leader on the floor. Kon Knueppel has continued to be reliable on both ends of the court, leading to his third consecutive Rookie of the Month plum. Moussa Diabate has been the difference-maker in the starting lineup, as the Hornets’ rise in the standings coincided with his promotion to the group. Miles Bridges has served as a glue guy and helped in scoring and other departments when needed.
The bench needs help, but the reserves have been able to hold down the fort when the starters have to take a breather.
However, what has been overlooked by a lot of folks is Lee’s ability to change the culture of the organization and come up with effective offensive and defensive schemes. His underrated qualities are his openness to criticism and willingness to learn from his mistakes, as his substitution patterns and playbook have consistently improved.
The Coach of the Month award goes to show that Lee is the right man for the job at this time, even if plenty of doubters had emerged who had not accounted for Charlotte’s nagging bouts with injuries when it was struggling to rack up the wins. But even without the prize, those from the outside looking in should continue to appreciate what the second-year coach has contributed to Buzz City. His players and the organization’s top brass have certainly done so.