“It’s cool to go to a championship-caliber organization with so much history,” he said before the Hornets hosted the Celtics on Friday night. “How they structured their daily schedule and what it means to be Celtic. It was really cool and interesting for me and my family to experience. As a coach, I have been able to see how it works to have so much talent on your team, to have the goal behind you all year long as one of the best teams in the NBA.

“This team has been through some hardships and we’re trying to get over that hump. To take that trip with them last year and see that everything that came with it was cool for me and my growth.

Lee was a highly regarded assistant coach and the Celtics were looking for a head coach Joe Mazzulla some help after the disappointing end to the 2022-2023 season. With several of them I am Udoka‘s staff left to join him in Houston, the Celtics added Lee and former NBA champion Sam Cassel. Lee had coached Al Horford as an assistant in Atlanta and Jrue holiday in Milwaukee.

“He just had a really good perspective,” Mazzulla said. “Any time you have a group of coaches that have worked with other great coaches like (Mike Budenholzer) and have been with other superstars, you just have different experiences to draw from. He had several experiences, most of them successful ones. Having Charles was a huge help in helping Jrue with his transition. That relationship was crucial for us.”

Lee and Holiday and their families are close, and Holiday said he has tapped Lee as head coach in recent years. They won a championship together in 2020-2021 with the Bucks.

“I’m happy for him; I’m happy to see him as head coach,” Holiday said. “He is finally getting the chance to profile himself in his team and in this competition, but I love him dearly and I am very proud of him. I advocated for him, but just to see him achieve the dream of becoming a head coach is huge.”

Lee said he approached the opportunity in Boston with extra focus knowing he was close to his first coaching job.

“You have a team you’re going to work with that’s historic and we had a chance to win a championship,” he said. “For me it was an opportunity to come in and do what I can to help the team. Whatever Joe needed, whatever the team needed.

“Knowing that experience could diversify my background of working with several superstar players, another championship journey and playoff experience. There was so much to learn and I wanted to make sure I absorbed it all.”

Tatum promises aggression

After a thrilling start from the three-point line, Jayson Tatum entering Friday’s game against the Hornets 6 for his last 26 from beyond the arc, including 5 for 18 in Wednesday’s overtime loss to the Indiana Pacers.

The 18 attempts were a career high for Tatum, and he admitted it was too many.

“No, I overcharged the last game, especially at the end of that first quarter,” he said. “In the last minute and a half I shot like five threes, and at the beginning of overtime I shot like three. That’s eight right where I just settled and I trusted my height that I would like to have back.

Hauser feels good

Sam Hauser missed three games after the Oct. 22 opener due to back pain, but returned Wednesday and scored 5 points in 14 minutes. He was also available Friday, but said he will continue to monitor him as the season progresses.

“It’s kind of a work in progress, picking things up again,” he said. “I’m just working on kicking things off, dealing with icing, getting treatment to make sure it’s right.

“Definitely a work in progress. Honestly, it could be many years of basketball. Hopefully it’s just a minor flare-up.”

With Hauser unavailable, Mazzulla opted for second-year swingman Jordan Walsh for the most extensive minutes of his career. Walsh’s contributions are primarily defensive and rebounding. Hauser brings a floor-stretching element with his 3-point shooting.

I can’t rely on Al

Friday was the first game of the Celtics’ first back-to-back set this season, and the 38-year-old center Al Horford was deferred for tax management. Horford has not played in a back-to-back since returning to Boston, but is expected to return for Saturday’s second game in Charlotte. The Celtics got good minutes from the backup center on Wednesday Neemias Quetawho pulled down 9 rebounds (4 offensive) in 14 minutes.

Gary Washburn is a Globe columnist. He can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him @GwashburnGlobe.