By Morris Phillips

Apparently Coach Mike Brown knows what he has in Davion Mitchell.

The NCAA champion from Baylor hadn’t scored in double figures in any game this season, and hadn’t seen more than 16 minutes of floor time in any of last four games.

That all changed Monday night in Charlotte.

Mitchell started fast and came up big down the stretch in the Kings’ 115-108 come-from-behind win over the Hornets.

“He brings an understanding of what his role is and embraces his role,” Brown said of Mitchell. “He’s a guy that I know anytime we call his number he is going to be ready to play.”

In reality, Mitchell may embrace his role, but it’s not quite clear what exactly that role is seven games into the new season. The 6’0″ guard wasn’t particularly effective in the season-opening loss to the Blazers and he was summarily dismissed. Not his fault, but when a team’s top two scorers are starting in front of you, and playing for a new coach, your floor time can get bypassed.

But Mitchell’s hard to miss: he finished his rookie season by scoring in double figures 14 times in the season’s final 16 games, and he made at least nine field goals in six of those 16 games. He’s a presence.

On Monday, Mitchell was front and center.

The Kings started their road trip with an ineffective first quarter as they fell behind 34-24 with the five starters combining to miss 11 of their first 14 shots.

The second quarter wasn’t much better as the Kings fell behind by 15, and De’Aaron Fox was lost for the evening after he bumped knees with another player and was removed for precautionary reasons. The Hornets shot 60 percent from the field in the opening half and appeared to be locked in as a follow up to their impressive, overtime win over the Warriors on Saturday.

The Kings seized momentum and the lead in the third as Kevin Huerter scored 12 of his team-high 26 points. Matthew Dellavedova hit a three that gave the Kings their first lead, 79-77 with 3:43 remaining, and that set the stage for the visitors’ big push in the fourth.

Mitchell hit his first three shots of the game in the first quarter to keep the Kings attached. In the fourth, Mitchell had a pair of big baskets late to help the Kings maintain a small lead they wouldn’t relinquish. He finished with 23 points on 9 of 11 shooting, and in Fox’s absence, he and Huerter combined to make 10 threes.

“We are a team that don’t quit,” Mitchell said. “We try to play 48 minutes.”

P.J. Washington led the Hornets with 28 points as one of six double-figure scorers for the hosts. Kelly Oubre Jr. had 16 points, and Dennis Smith Jr. added 15.

The Hornets were without LaMelo Ball, Terry Rozier and Cody Martin, all due to injuries. The Hornets committed 31 fouls which lead to an impressive 24 of 28 night at the foul line for the Kings.

“We turn the ball over 21 times and foul like that, we’re not gong to win,” coach Steve Clifford said. “Every drive, we fouled.”

The Kings have a pair of wins after starting the season 0-4. They visit Miami on Wednesday in an immediate rematch of their home win over the Heat on Saturday.