'We want more of it:' What's become noticeable to Hornets during impressive run

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Hornets coach Charles Lee reflected on the noticeable shift.

His team is creating an unmistakable murmur throughout Charlotte and beyond. Thanks to the season’s resurgence behind the team’s young core — spearheaded by star guard LaMelo Ball, rising swingman Brandon Miller and Rookie of the Year candidate Kon Knueppel — the Hornets are among the hottest teams in the NBA.

And their head coach senses the change in the level of enthusiasm around the team these days.

“I feel their excitement, I feel their support,” Lee said. “Our team feels it. The arena has a different buzz to it. I think that it’s always been really supportive of us, but I can feel it from tip off during the starting lineups now. And so we appreciate it. We want more of it and we’ve got to make sure that we give them something to be able to come out, and support, and cheer for it and be proud of.”

That’s what happened again Saturday at Spectrum Center. Undeterred facing the undermanned Portland Trail Blazers, the Hornets took care of business with a workmanlike 109-93 win to push their win streak to four games.

After nearly a decade of futility that’s left them with the NBA’s longest current playoff drought, the Hornets (30-31) are growing up. They’re becoming energized by the change in mood among an extremely weary fan base that’s been subjected to plenty of losing.

“Yeah, it’s a different vibe,” said Miles Bridges, the longest-tenured member of the team. “We’ll go to away games, their teams be loud, cheering along. And we didn’t have the same at home. Some people showed up, but now it’s like everybody’s showing up, showing us love.

“Shout out to the fans that’s been down with us before and shout out to the fans now. So, I’m happy to be a part of this.”

Here are some other key takeaways from the Hornets’ victory over Portland:

Roy Williams takes in Coby White’s home debut

With two games already under his belt, allowing him to ease into his role, Coby White made his home debut against the Trail Blazers.

And he had a special visitor.

Roy Williams, who coached at North Carolina from 2003-21 and recruited White to play for the Tar Heels in 2018-19, was parked courtside directly across from the Hornets’ bench. The two caught up briefly prior to tipoff, sharing an embrace and exchanging a few pleasantries before White had to get back to his pregame preparations.

“He called me (Friday) night, told me he was coming through, told me he got a good day of basketball,” White said. “Coming to watch us play and then going to the Carolina game. So, he told me that he was going to try to get down, during pregame, during layup lines and stuff to come see me.

“He didn’t tell me that he was going to be courtside, though. He said he didn’t know either. But it was good to see him. … He’s been checking in on me every step of the way. Obviously, a legendary coach, but I’ve been gone six, seven years. For him to still reach out, like I always say, our relationship is bigger than basketball. He’s helped me through a lot of tough times in my life and he continues to help me.”

White was effective once again off the bench, tossing in 10 first-half points en route to compiling 20, and it’s extremely obvious he’s already comfortable when teamed with Ball, which is what Lee went with for a period in the second quarter.

Lee is pleased with how White is fitting in seamlessly so soon. He highlighted the importance of having players like White who are deeply engaged and set a professional standard, even while injured, and contribute to building the team’s culture.

“Defensively, I’ve seen a toughness, a great communication level that’s really important,” Lee said. “I think it really helps our guys. When you feel like you can hear someone else talking to you either after the play or during the play, it just gives you more trust.

“Offensively, we’ve seen him find his spots to be able to get some shots up. And I think that his playmaking has been really impressive so far, too.”

Brandon Miller still hot

Sizzling probably best describes how Miller is shooting the ball.

Miller continued his torrid play, tossing in a game-best 26 points to go with eight rebounds. He just missed recording his sixth outing of at least 30 points this season.

It came after registering 19 points in the third quarter against the Pacers, matching his career high in a quarter. He’s on a pretty good run.

“Yeah, Brandon has stood up here multiple times and talked about he wants our whole team to be elite two-way players,” Lee said. “The best way for a leader to get that message across is not only vocally or verbally, but it’s to lead by example. That’s how he’s gone out there and played these last few games.

“Our defensive intensity, when he plays with the activity that he has and the deflections that he’s been able to create and the steals that he’s come up with, it’s huge for our team.”

Lee also wants Miller to be more assertive at times. The third-year swingman can put the ball in the basket in a variety of ways, and it’s imperative for him to be more definitive with his moves.

“When he plays in this little area of like, ‘Ooh, do I shoot it? Do I pass it?’ ” Lee said, “the game moves a little bit too fast. That’s when he ends up with some of these turnovers. But when he is decisive, he is elite offensively in terms of his ability to score but also to pass, too.”

Raining 3-pointers

Consider it a bit of an anomaly.

Although the Hornets started off struggling behind the 3-point arc against Portland, eventually knocking down 16 of 42 attempts, no team in the league has been on the same plane as Charlotte lately.

On their recently-competed three-game road trip, the Hornets tied the NBA team record for 3-pointers made in a three-game span of games. By draining 25 apiece in Washington and Chicago, and then another 22 in Indiana — placing them within one of the franchise record for made 3s in a game — the Hornets matched what Boston did in March 2024, knotting them with the Celtics for the three-game record.

Overall, the Hornets also rank in the top three league-wide at 37.8% and through Thursday they were one of only two teams in the NBA — Golden State is the other — with more than 900 made 3-pointers.

“I think a little bit of it is the guys watching me shoot at times,” Lee joked. “The other part is the unselfishness from everybody to create some really good looks. I think that the screeners, whether it be our bigs setting great screens for our guards. … And then the next part is all the paint reads, whether it’s the smalls rolling and seeing bigs step up or the crowd is there, they’re kicking out the threes. Our bigs … they’re doing a great job with their scene reads.

“Really just proud of the unselfishness everybody has to keep making the right reads, and making quick decisions to create some of these catch-and-shoot threes.”