LaMelo Ball Shines in Hornets’ Victory
In a commanding performance, LaMelo Ball returned to the starting squad and guided the Charlotte Hornets to a 124-97 victory over the Orlando Magic on Thursday evening. Ball, who faced a shooting slump just the day before, showed significant improvement by scoring 16 points, complimenting his stats with seven assists and six rebounds.
After enduring one of his worst shooting nights as a professional—where he managed only two points on a disruptive 1 of 15 shooting against Cleveland—a change in process saw him shine against Orlando, hitting 6 of 12 shots and connecting on 4 of 8 attempts from beyond the arc.
Balanced Attack from the Hornets
Leading the balanced Hornets attack was Brandon Miller, who contributed 20 points. Other significant contributions came from Collin Sexton, who netted 19 points, with 12 points coming from the bench in a lively first half. Additionally, both Kon Knueppel and Tidjane Salaun added 13 points each, while Miles Bridges, Moussa Diabate, and Ryan Kalkbrenner all chipped in with 10 points, underscoring Charlotte’s depth.
Magic’s Struggles
Orlando’s Paolo Banchero was the standout for the Magic, netting 23 points, while Desmond Bane supported with 21 points. Moritz Wagner added 14 points, Noah Penda contributed 13, and Jeff Howard rounded out the scoring with 10 points.
Making his return to the starting five, Ball’s impactful play resulted in the Hornets racing to a lead—one absent in their last game when they fell behind by 21 points to Cleveland in the first quarter. This time, Charlotte outperformed early, with Ball scoring eight points within the first seven minutes, showcasing perfect shooting, including two three-pointers.
Game Statistics and Future Matches
By halftime, the Hornets had established a robust 62-41 advantage, showcasing impressive shooting statistics at 55% from the field and 48% from three-point territory. They extended their lead to 30 points in the final quarter, solidifying their success despite a tough campaign, now improved to four wins in nine contests.
Conversely, the Magic faced challenges on their home court, with a shooting percentage of just 33%, including a notably poor 26% from beyond the arc in the first half. Their situation was compounded by injuries, as they missed guard Jalen Suggs for the eighth consecutive game due to a right knee issue and were also without center Moe Wagner, who missed the game for left knee management but could be back this weekend.
Looking ahead, the Hornets will host the Washington Wizards on Saturday, while the Magic will prepare for a game against the Cleveland Cavaliers the same day.
