Why no showdown between LaMelo Ball, SGA? Hornets coach explains
The person who sat at the tail end of the visiting bench for Kon Knueppel’s pro debut in the preseason was back in the building, except this time watching on this side of the North Carolina border.
Oklahoma City Thunder coach Mark Daigneault had the first up-close opposing view of the Charlotte Hornets rookie when the teams met in Charleston in October, a matchup that preceded their outing at Spectrum Center on Saturday night. That makes Daigneault’s view on Knuppel’s growth as valid as anyone, and he heaped praise on the Hornets rookie.
“Knueppel’s off to a great start,” Daigneault said. “The shooting gravity obviously brings a different element in his screening. You saw that (Friday) night against Milwaukee, and he’s just got a good offensive sense for the game. He finds space, he’s good in the screening game. He obviously can play with the ball in those situations, too.
“So, good player, that’s off to a really good start in his career.”
It’s a start that could see him defy the odds and be in line to garner the NBA’s Rookie of the Year honors — provided Knueppel’s steady progression doesn’t take a serious dip. Even on nights like Saturday, when he didn’t completely have it in the Hornets’ 109-96 loss to Oklahoma City.
Knueppel’s eight-point, four-rebound, three-assist effort against the Thunder came on the heels of the best overall performance of his young career, when he posted a season-best 32 points in Charlotte’s loss in Milwaukee, making memories for more than 2,000 friends and family who were among the crowd to cheer on their hometown hero.
Knueppel leads all rookies in made 3-pointers with 39 and is tied for ninth in the league in made 3-pointers. His scoring average of 17.9 points per game puts him atop the rookie class, ahead of Philadelphia’s V.J. Edgecombe’s 15.6 points and the 15.2 by his former Duke teammate and No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg.
Knueppel is already at the point of having game-opening plays drawn up for him, and he’s adept at executing, such as when he drove into the lane for an easy layup off a screen to begin things against the Thunder.
“I think (it’s) just the consistency of his approach,” coach Charles Lee said. “He comes in the building every day, whether it’s what he eats for his diet, whether it’s his vitamins. If it’s a film or it’s on-court work, everything’s just taken with a seriousness, a competitiveness, an obsession to want to get better.
“And I think that’s why when he gets to the game, he’s so fearless. He understands he’s done all the work mentally, physically, emotionally. He’s so stable. Doesn’t get too high, doesn’t get too low. He’s just ready for every moment. So, really excited for his continued growth. But I love what I’ve seen from him in the early going so far.”
Here are some takeaways from the Hornets’ second straight defeat:
Plan for LaMelo Ball
After returning from a five-game absence and playing in Friday’s loss in Milwaukee, star guard LaMelo Ball was in street clothes again. Ball logged 27 minutes against the Bucks following a nearly two-week absence nursing a right ankle impingement, but sat out the entire overtime period.
Given his injury history, the Hornets are taking it light with Ball.
“He came in this morning, got some treatment,” Lee said. “He’s actually in now, still getting treatment, and lifting and stuff. I think he responded really well to his minutes. Our performance staff and player development group has done a good job of developing a plan that’s going to help maximize him. So, minutes going forward for a while, we have to be mindful of putting him in the best position to be available for as many games as possible.”
More third-quarter woes
Those dreaded third-quarter blues struck again.
Playing well immediately after halftime hasn’t been a strong suit for the Hornets through the season’s initial month. And it was an issue against the Thunder.
The Hornets yielded a 16-1 run to start the third quarter and never recovered. They understand that coming out with a lackluster mindset isn’t going to cut it.
“It’s something that we got to go into,” Moussa Diabate said. “We definitely can do a better job. I believe that we will. But at the end of the day, it’s one of the things where we have to. We have to try and grow and understand and try to be better.
“You got to watch the film, see the reason why we are starting slow, whatever reason why we’re getting turnovers or why we’re not as physical and trying to attack those points. I think that’s what it comes down to at the end of the day, and I believe that we’ll do a better job. Keep talking about it and, yeah, we’ll change that.”
Miles Bridges believes they will.
“We’ve got to keep it a point of emphasis,” Bridges said, “just continue to try to come out strong.”
Miles Bridges’ play
Quietly, Bridges is picking up quite a bit of the slack with Ball and Brandon Miller out of the lineup, doing a bit of everything.
Bridges has posted at least three games of 30 or more points and entered Saturday’s game tied for seventh in the NBA in made 3-pointers with 40, aided by his career-high tying seven 3-point shots he knocked down against Los Angeles on Nov. 10.
But his reach goes beyond the offensive side, as he typically guards one of the opposition’s better players, and it hasn’t gone unnoticed.
“I’ve seen a ton of really good things from Miles over the last couple games,” Lee said. “No. 1 defensively, he’s taken on a lot of different matchups, and he’s embraced it, and he’s wanting it. (Luka) Doncic, the Lakers game, and he’s picking up full-court and he’s trying to deny him. (Friday) night, (Giannis) Antetokounmpo at the end of the game.
“We were sending two a lot of times and double-teaming, and I was like, ‘Hey, we came into the game committed to it. Let’s finish the game.’ And Miles is like, ‘Nah, I got it.’ And he did a heck of a job at that end of the game, keeping him in front, getting to a contested jumper and forcing overtime with that stop. So, been really happy with the defensive mindset, his understanding of what’s going on, his willingness to want to embrace every matchup. Whether it’s the best player, whether it’s a big. Whatever it is, he’s done it at a high level.”
Lee’s praise for Bridges didn’t stop there.
“Offensively, I see him playing a little bit more composed, not trying to force too many things,” Lee said. “If he doesn’t have an immediate shot or quick drive, he’s swinging it, getting to a hit under or slip, trusting his teammates in a lot of different environments. So, then he’s able to get a catch-and-shoot 3, or he’s playing for some closeout and then able to get to the paint and get himself out and play it under control. So, I just love his overall just poise offensively.”
This story was originally published November 15, 2025 at 9:29 PM with the headline "Why no showdown between LaMelo Ball, SGA? Hornets coach explains."
