Charlotte finally got a preseason win, and did it against one of the most intriguing teams going into this season in the Dallas Mavericks. Charlotte made a noticeable adjustment entering its third preseason game, changing the starting lineup and adding some veteran experience to it. The Hornets elected to start veteran guard Collin Sexton, who they acquired in a trade with the Utah Jazz this offseason. The other change they made to the starting lineup was at center, with Ryan Kalkbrenner starting instead of Moussa Diabaté.

Kalkbrenner made an immediate impact, shooting 7-7 from the field, finishing the game with 14 points, 10 rebounds and one block. Kalkbrenner was effective without even showing his full arsenal offensively with his ability to stretch the floor. He found his spots on the court, especially in the paint, and was rewarded by his playmakers for doing so.

Another standout was Miles Bridges, showing every facet of his game offensively, from his three-point shooting, his ridiculous athleticism when attacking the basket and catching lobs. He also dominated the glass; he led the team in rebounds with 11, making two Hornets who recorded double-doubles on Saturday night. Bridges finished the night with 20 points; his efficiency wasn’t where it needed to be every night, at just 38% from the field, but he shot 50% from three, which is a significant improvement for him to unlock another level of his game offensively and give opponents another facet to worry about.

Offensively, it was a good effort from Charlotte collectively, shooting just under 50% from the field and over 40% from beyond the arc. The most impressive piece of this game from the Hornets was that six players scored over double-digit points, including the entire starting five of LaMelo Ball, Sexton, Bridges, Brandon Miller and Kalkbrenner. The starting unit looked comfortable together, and Charlotte was able to find all sorts of open looks from outside and in the paint.

The sixth player to crack double digits was Kon Knueppel, who still looked comfortable on the floor even though he didn’t start for the first time this preseason.

Ball also chipped in 20 points. He shot an excellent 61% from the field, and along with Bridges was 4-8 from long distance. Obviously, he won’t shoot 61% for the season, but if he can stay above the 50% mark, then that should catapult his offensive production even higher than it has been in years prior.

The only gripe on Charlotte’s 120-116 win over Dallas was the fact the final score was as close as it was. There were multiple points in the first and second half where Charlotte had built a double-digit lead, and each time they did, Dallas was able to respond and bring itself right back into the game. If Charlotte looks to truly improve and make noise in the Eastern Conference, then it'll have to be able to put teams away rather than give teams late opportunities to steal games.

Charlotte has two more preseason games left to build on, facing off against the Memphis Grizzlies and the New York Knicks.