Former Chino Hills star LaMelo Ball becomes “emotional leader” of Charlotte Hornets
The gasps from the crowd at Crypto.com Arena — a mix of shock from Lakers fans and anticipation from fans cheering for the local hero — grew each time LaMelo Ball made a stop from seemingly increasingly audacious spots on the court. The Charlotte Hornets star guard held three fingers to his bicep every time he took a shot on net. He looked up into the packed stands to meet the eyes of his hometown crowd.
The former Chino Hills star led the Hornets to a 135-117 victory over the Lakers on Thursday with 30 points and 11 assists. After a quiet three points in the first half, Ball exploded for 27 points after halftime, including eight three-pointers on 12 second-half attempts that gave the Los Angeles crowd flashbacks of the freshman scoring twice on the famed undefeated Chino Hills team.
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“We all know LaMelo,” Lakers guard Marcus Smart said. “He’s been playing like that since he was in high school. For us, those are crazy shots, but for him, those are his shots.”
Read more: The Lakers’ defensive woes once again prove costly in terms of losses for the Hornets
Ball, now 10 years removed from a 35-0 national championship season with the Huskies, still plays with the fluency of the freshman who hooped with his older brothers. But the 24-year-old is now starting to gain the maturity of a six-year NBA veteran.
“He’s always been an explosive scorer, an explosive passer, but now he knows how to win games when it’s two possessions, one possession,” said Hornets guard Miles Bridges, who had 25 points, including five baskets assisted by Ball. “He knows how to make the right play and win the game.”
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Ball, averaging 20.4 points, 7.8 assists and 5.2 rebounds, has a plus-2.8 plus-minus rating, a career high this season. Ball’s traditional stats are modest compared to some of his earlier stat-filled seasons, when he averaged more than 30 points and eight rebounds in each of his first two years in the NBA, but in some ways he’s playing more efficiently than ever. He has an offensive rating of 120.8 and an assist rate of 42.2%, which estimates the field goal percentage a player’s teammates assist while on the field. His assist percentage is lower only than Denver superstar Nikola Jokic.
“We’ve always marveled at his shooting, but the thing that I think continues to impress me, the thing that continues to help our team get better and better is that he has confidence in his passing,” said Hornets coach Charles Lee, who called Ball the team’s “emotional leader.” “I think he’s really maximizing everyone around him. He’s making them better. … And then he just does what Melo does: He’s a shot creator.”
The ball hit consecutive three-pointers to start the third quarter. As his confidence grew, he began to recover earlier in the shot clock. He danced with Lakers center Deandre Ayton, driving to the lane on the 7-footer to pivot back and drain another three. Fading out of the corner of the court and nearly into the middle of his teammates on the Hornets’ bench, Ball hit a rainbow three over Smart’s outstretched hand.
“I was really just playing for real,” Ball said.
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Ball did not play in the Lakers’ first game against the Hornets in Charlotte, North Carolina, due to an ankle injury. In November, the Lakers held off a fourth-quarter surge by the Hornets, who showed just how dangerous they can be. Young and athletic, with eager drivers and sharp shooters, the Hornets can be one of the most dangerous offenses in the NBA. In the 15 games since Ball returned from a three-game absence due to an ankle injury, Charlotte has the best offense in the league. The Hornets scored 150 points against Utah. They eliminated the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder.
“We all knew that our coaching staff and the guys in the locker room would get our full respect and attention before the game,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said. “And I thought we had a fight. Just another team having a hot shooting night.”
The Lakers, who play their next consecutive games Saturday at Portland and Sunday at home against Toronto, have lost four of their last five. They are 25th in three-point shooting among opponents, allowing teams to shoot 37.3% from three.
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This story originally appeared in the Los Angeles Times.