Charlotte Hornets The 2022-23 season has had a poor start, but they got some positive news on Saturday when the All-Star guard lamello ball He reached the court for the first time this season. lost to charlotte Miami Heat132–115, but Ball showed few signs of rust in his first season.
in the first game of his third nba In the season, the 21-year-old finished with 15 points, six rebounds and six assists in 28 minutes while going 6-for-17 off the field.
Hornets coach Steve Clifford said of Ball, “He makes such a difference. He puts so much pressure on the other team.” “He has done a lot of good things and obviously he will play better and better when we get here,” he said.
One of the best highlight makers in the league, Ball wasted no time watching the Miami crowd, splitting the two defenders as the clock went down in the first quarter before hitting the wrong foot floater as the buzzer sounded. He even earned a reluctant handshake from the heat guard tyler harrowwho was inactive for the game due to an ankle injury.
Then, in the early fourth quarter, we saw some of Ball’s trademark vision and passing skills on this behind-the-back dime Nick Richards For an easy take-in.
The comeback was not all roses, however, as the ball went just 1-for-9 from the 3-point boundary. He also continued another trend we saw a lot last season – fouling. Ball committed at least five fouls in 16 games last season, five of them fouls, and often found himself on the bench with two fouls in the first quarter. His 3.2 fouls per game last season was the most in the NBA.
The ball took two fouls in the opening frame on Saturday and ended with five, although this did not affect his minutes due to a slight ban in his first game. Defense is by far one of his biggest weaknesses in his youth career, and excessive fouls only take longer on the bench, which doesn’t bode well for him or the Hornets.
The return of the ball could not have come at a better time for Charlotte’s team, which has started the season 3-11 and has lost its last eight games. Having the ball back would immediately add some life to the Hornets’ offense, which entered the league in 28th place on Saturday. The ball is a fundamental player for the Hornet, and putting it back in the fold will raise people like Gordon Hayward, PJ Washington And Kelly Aubrey Jr., around him. This gives Charlotte back her most capable playmaker, making ballhandling duties easier. terry rosier And Dennis Smith Jr.,
Last time we saw Ball, he was named an All-Star replacement for Kevin Durant, putting efficient numbers for the Hornet. He was Charlotte’s leading scorer, averaging 20.1 points, but it wasn’t just putting the ball into the basket that fueled the Hornets offense. He was ranked in the top 10 in the league for assists last season, averaging 7.6 per game, while also shooting an efficient 38.9 percent from the 3-point field.
Originally Published on www.cbssports.com
