LaMelo Ball is staying in Charlotte Hornets starting lineup; rest is up for grabs
Rookie sensation LaMelo Ball is staying in the Charlotte Hornets’ starting lineup. That’s settled.
Hornets coach James Borrego wouldn’t go beyond that Wednesday in what his rotation will be against the Detroit Pistons on Thursday. He’s elated that for the first time in 16 games he might have all his options open.
The Hornets’ injury report lists guard Devonte Graham as probable, after he missed the past seven games with soreness in and around his left knee cap. The Hornets no longer list center Cody Zeller (hip contusion) and power forward P.J. Washington (ankle sprain) as injured.
Borrego declined to discuss his plans for the rotation, saying he first needs to talk one-on-one with the affected players. It seems logical that Borrego would begin the second half of the season with Terry Rozier starting at shooting guard and Graham coming off the bench.
Borrego is relieved his roster is back to health. Over the previous 15 games, at least one of the opening-night starters — Graham, Zeller, Washington, Rozier and Gordon Hayward — was out, and often multiple key players.
“We’re very deep ... it’s a good problem” to have so many choices, Borrego said. “I have different lineups I can go to: I can go small, we can put more offense on the floor, more play-making on the floor.”
Borrego said Graham’s role will still be significant: “Every time he’s on the floor something good happens.”
LaMelo Ball starting is definite
Ball, the front-runner for NBA Rookie of the Year, has started the past 15 games. That began with him filling in for an injured Rozier, but Ball’s numbers now can’t be disregarded. As a starter, he’s averaging 20.7 points, 6.7 assists, 6.2 rebounds and 45% from 3-point range.
“LaMelo will continue to start,” Borrego said. “The rest, I’ll figure out as we go.”
Graham said Feb. 14 that he wouldn’t have a gripe if Borrego moves him to the second unit. Graham has started all 25 games he has played this season, after a breakout performance last season that had him in the NBA’s Most Improved Player discussion.
With Graham missing nine of the past 11 games, Ball excelled as a starter and guard Malik Monk had a great stretch off the bench, with 18 or more points in each of the last six games before the All-Star break.
Borrego said one of the options he will explore is more three-guard lineups. In the 102 minutes Ball, Rozier and Graham have played together, the Hornets outscored opponents by 21 points per 100 possessions. Monk is also an option in a three-guard lineup.
“Better than I expected,” Borrego said of the three-guard lineup. “Those are three of our better players. I’ve got to figure out what to do defensively. ... That group is a dynamic group.”
Managing a brutal crush of games
The Hornets play 37 games over the last 67 days of the regular season. They are currently seventh in the Eastern Conference standings at 17-18, with a chance to end a four-season streak with no playoff appearances.
Borrego said he might go with a deeper rotation the second half of the schedule — not every game, but up to 10 players sometimes. He’ll be conscious of keeping his primary players as fresh as possible.
He thinks the adversity the past month, with injuries and COVID-19 protocols busting up the rotation, has improved his team, making it deeper and more experienced.
“Somehow, some way we survived that first half, and right now we’re in a better place for it,” Borrego said. “Stronger, deeper and more resilient.”
Borrego said the rotation absences have particularly hurt the Hornets defensively. The Hornets are currently 20th among 30 NBA teams in defensive efficiency, allowing 1.095 points per possession.
“For us to get where we want to be, we’ve got to find more consistency in our defense,” Borrego said. “With all the hits to our lineups, I feel like we got hit the most defensively.”
This story was originally published March 10, 2021 at 5:04 PM.
