Charlotte Hornets head coach Charles Lee pointed to execution, resilience, and defensive commitment after his team’s 127-126 overtime win over the Miami Heat in Tuesday’s play-in opener at Spectrum Center.
“Definitely. It just shows the character of the team,” Lee said. “Execution is not always going to be perfect, but I think that these guys find a way to stick with it and not give in.”
Charlotte improved its postseason positioning behind LaMelo Ball’s 30 points and 10 assists, while Miles Bridges added 28 points and nine rebounds, including the game-saving block at the buzzer.
“I thought that our execution at times was good, at times it was not good, but when it mattered, I thought we executed our side out of bounds really well,” Lee said. “That winning effort and competitiveness and togetherness to come up with a big time block at the end of the game just shows kind of who we are.”
Lee detailed the final offensive sequence in overtime, which ended with Ball’s decisive layup.
“You know, really like Coby is an outlet back there,” Lee said. “For Melo, if they maintain or switch, he’s the first look and if not, you got Brandon on the backside. So, we trust him.”
The coach also highlighted the importance of execution beyond the scorer.
“I think sometimes the guy that scored gets the most credit, but I think that inbounder is so important,” Lee said. “For Sion to come up with a big time inbounds.”
Coby White’s impact was critical, especially after halftime, as he finished with 19 points and hit a game-tying three late in regulation.
“He’s been huge since he’s got here,” Lee said. “Even he didn’t have a great first half and I thought that he just continued to stick with it and found his way and came up with big plays down the stretch.”
Lee also addressed the environment, as Charlotte hosted its first postseason home game in a decade.
“My kids told me I’m not allowed to say lit anymore,” Lee said. “But I thought that the environment in there was exactly how I pictured it… we’re glad that we were able to pull this one out for the Charlotte fans.”
Defensively, Lee emphasized Bridges’ versatility and physicality against a Miami team that shot 48% from the field.
“I thought defensively he took on the matchup of pretty much everybody on their team,” Lee said. “He definitely embraced the mindset of a no paint mindset.”
Lee described his message entering overtime after Charlotte lost a late lead.
“Just wanted us to be grateful for another opportunity,” Lee said. “You might feel like something slipped away, but you had another chance right in front of you.”
The Hornets responded by executing late, including Ball’s go-ahead drive and Bridges’ block on Davion Mitchell.
Reflecting on the locker room, Lee noted the team’s composure.
“I walked into a group that I probably wanted to celebrate more than they did,” Lee said. “They showed up in the biggest moment.”
Lee also credited Miami’s competitiveness despite the loss of Bam Adebayo to injury.
“They are battle tested,” Lee said. “You got to be willing to kind of get in the mud, win every 50-50 ball.”
Charlotte now advances to face the loser of the Philadelphia-Orlando matchup for the final Eastern Conference playoff spot.
