Hornets' Surge: New Coach, Young Stars

0:006. Here's your NBA news in 2 minutes. Subscribe to stay locked in all season. The Charlotte Hornets are finally turning heads in the NBA. They sit at 32 wins and 31 losses above 500 for the first time since late October. That puts them on track for their first winning record in 4 years. Since January 22nd, they are 16 and 3, leading the league in offense and net rating while ranking 7th on defense. Last season, the Hornets won just 21 games. New coach Charles Lee took over, and things looked rough early with injuries to key players like Lamello Ball and Brandon Miller. But this year, everything clicked. They have won 6 straight games, all by at least 15 points. Offense jumped from the bottom 5 to the top 5, and defense climbed from 24th to 15th. Fans and coaches are buzzing about their grip. Boston's Joe Mizzula called them competitive on the edges. The team is two and a half games behind six place in the east, four back a fifth, fighting for a play in spot.

1:03Coach Lee stresses daily improvement, and building a tough mindset over chasing records right now. Young stars are driving the surge. Brandon Miller averages 21 points, shooting nearly 38% from 3. Rookie con to Nwepple is a 3 point marksman at over 43% and in the Rookie of the year mix. Lamello Ball looks sharper too, with better shooting, fewer turnovers, and smart playmaking at a career low, 27.5 minutes per game. This is about laying a foundation. With Ball at 24, Miller at 23, and Nwepple at 20, plus emerging Big Moose to Diabade at 24, the core is set. Lee points to their offseason work, and pushes for consistency as they chase a clear team identity moving forward. We'd like to thank our sponsor for making this episode possible. No earbuds, no headbands, no awkward sleeping positions, just a pillow that plays your sound, S-O-L-I, solelypillow.com.