Photo: Charlotte Hornets/X

Charlotte Hornets head coach Charles Lee applauded Ryan Kalkbrenner’s productive start to his NBA career after Tuesday’s 144-117 road loss vs. the Miami Heat (10 points/6 rebounds/3 steals/1 block/5-5 FG).

*set career-high in steals*

*averaging 9.5 PPG/3.5 0RB/3.8 DRB/0.8 APG/1.0 SPG/1.0 BPG/1.5 TOV/2.8 PF/90.5% FG/26.5 MPG/+2.8 +/- through four starts*

*made NBA history for having the highest FG% through a player’s first four games (minimum 20 FGA)*

(via Charlotte Hornets):

“I think that he just brings it on both ends of the floor. He gives us help and the ability to protect the paint on defense. And then offensively: he’s got a really good feel for his screening angles, how to work the dunker, his offensive rebounding and his passing. So, a lot of different elements. I thought it was just a better matchup sometimes with some of the bigs that they threw out there.”