LaMelo Ball Returns But Hornets Still Lose

Despite the loss, the Charlotte Hornets are enamored to have LaMelo Ball up and running again.

Despite losing to the Miami Heat on Saturday night, the Charlotte Hornets are still happy that their All-Star point guard is back on the court. Star playmaker LaMelo Ball was listed as questionable before the Heat game but was able to make it to the active lineup just in time before tipoff. Ball logged 28 minutes on the floor, which is a good sign for someone who missed the last 13 games and just played his first match of the season. The Hornets’ star guard put up a stat line of 15 points, six rebounds, six assists, and one steals but was rusty with his shooting. He only made six of his 17 field goal attempts and was 1-of-9 from the three-point line.

LaMelo Ball, who was the third overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, sustained an ankle injury that forced him to sit out the start of the 2022-23 season. His absence was strongly felt by the Hornets, especially considering that key cogs Gordon Hayward and Cody Martin are also sidelined with respective injuries. The Hornets are struggling to rack up wins at this stage of their campaign, as they sport an abysmal record of three wins against 11 defeats. They are currently 28th in offensive rating (106.3) and 27th in field goal percentage (44.1%).

But there’s no doubt that Ball’s return will help the Hornets improve on the offensive end of the floor. The 21-year-old guard has already collected some hardware and accolades in his first two years in the league, winning the Rookie of the Year award in 2021 and making it to the All-Star Game in 2022. Through 75 games last season, LaMelo Ball put up a tremendous stat line of 20.1 points, 6.7 rebounds, 7.6 assists, and 1.6 steals.