Hornets’ LaMelo Ball close to setting new mark, but something more noteworthy is happening
Something that had been anticipated for a while finally went down Wednesday night, adding to the already excitable atmosphere pulsating throughout Crypto.com Arena.
No, this wasn’t about Mark Williams’ return to the court as a member of the Charlotte Hornets, representing the 7-footer’s initial outing in the aftermath of the trade with the Los Angeles Lakers for Dalton Knecht, Cam Reddish and draft pick compensation being rescinded.
While the bulk of the usual star-studded sellout crowd seemed confused with how to treat Williams during pre-game introductions, giving him a smattering of positivity mixed in among the murmurs, most of the crowd reaction for the visitors was reserved for the Hornets’ star point guard.
LaMelo Ball got to play against the Lakers in the shadows of where he grew up for the first time since 2022, providing well-wishers and others an opportunity to see the Chino Hills native in action in person. And he gave them a treat while also breaking the hearts of Lakers fans, keying the Hornets during crunch time and leading them to a 100-97 victory.
“Yeah, just did a great job of playing at a pace that I think we wanted at the end of the game, understanding who he wanted to attack, getting our spacing in a better place,” coach Charles Lee said. “And the part that just shows his leadership and I think his growth is trusting the pass.
“There are some opportunities there where he could try to dribble through a double team or make a play himself, but I think he ran whatever play we wanted to run, whatever action, and whatever the game kind of gave him, he made the right play. Super proud of him for continuing to make the plays for himself, but also for his teammates and continue to trust them.”
That’s what made Ball’s outing all the more impressive. He certainly didn’t look like someone who missed eight of the Hornets’ 12 games leading into the All-Star break nursing right ankle soreness stemming from his Jan. 27 stumble during their loss to the Lakers in Charlotte.
While Ball’s 27 points, six assists and five rebounds were igniters — along with the five 3-pointers he canned that extended his streak to 53 straight games making a shot beyond the arc, tying his own franchise record — there’s plenty more for Lee & Co. to be excited about.
Ball didn’t simply jack up shots during crunch time against the Lakers, hoping to shoot the Hornets into a victory. His efficiency was noteworthy, mostly because he made almost nothing but winning plays down the stretch.
Want a nifty steal? Ball obliged.
Spark a sequence leading to a huge Nick Smith Jr. 3-pointer for the go-ahead basket? Check.
Swish a floater in the lane to essentially ice things, only to be called upon to drill a pair of free throws seconds later because LeBron James nearly willed Los Angeles back into it? Done.
“He just has confidence in his teammates and confidence in himself,” Miles Bridges said. “He knows he can score the ball and he has confidence in us that we can hit big shots. Nick hit a big shot, I hit a big shot and he finished it off.
“So, just him having confidence in us gives us all the confidence in the world.”
Chalk that up to the vision of Ball’s father LaVar. Competing against upperclassmen prepped Ball for the mental hurdles he must constantly clear, allowing for a rather swift transition to the NBA once he gained a little more experience.
“My pops had me like that, so ever since I was young, I always just played up,” Ball said. ”I do not think I ever played my age for real unless I was a senior. But I was still a young one, so just always played up and just compete.”
Against the Lakers, a few clips of the first half strung together apparently provided an assist. The coaching staff showed the Hornets some lowlights to trigger an improved effort from everyone defensively.
Including Ball.
“That’s kind of who he is,” Lee said. “Whenever you challenge him or you need him to respond, he steps up in the biggest moments. But I do think that to whom much is given, much is expected. And he welcomes that, he shoulders that load.
“And the winning habits that he’s building to trust his teammates I think is going to pay dividends for our team in the long run.”
Slowly, Ball is evolving into a dual threat.
“Yeah, just pretty much trying to play both sides of the court,” Ball said. “Offensively and defensively. Just both be there.”
By doing so, Ball helped the Hornets accomplish a task on their checklist.
“We wanted to win that game for Mark and we did,” Bridges said. “So now he probably has a sense of confidence that we want him back. It’s kind of hard being in that situation where you don’t know if you are on one team or the other team, thinking both teams don’t want you.
“So for us to welcome him with open arms I feel like is big and it’s going to go a long way.”
Williams’ smile while situated at his locker in the aftermath suggests it already has.
“It felt good,” Williams said. “Back like I never left, obviously. The last however many days it was, it was crazy. I’m just happy to be back playing.”
That thought process is apparently contagious.
“I’m just happy to play for real,” Ball said. “Whenever I can play, it’s a great feeling. But the fact that I could play feels good.”
