Coach Steve Clifford returns to the bench Wednesday night after a five-week absence when the Charlotte Hornets host the Washington Wizards.
Clifford, who left the team early last month because of stress-related headaches, was back on the court Tuesday, leading his first practice.
The 56-year-old, fifth-year coach is aware of the Hornets' predicament. Charlotte is 17-25 and facing a serious uphill climb to get back into playoff contention.
But Clifford assured Tuesday that he's been paying attention and has identified areas of needed improvement.
"We have to find two or three things at both ends of the floor that can make a difference so we can make progress," he observed.