Charlotte Hornets make big comeback, win first game behind huge night from LaMelo Ball

HOUSTON (WBTV) – The Charlotte Hornets began their season off on a excessive be aware, rallying from an 18-point deficit to beat the Houston Rockets 110-105 within the first recreation of the 12 months.

Celebrity level guard LaMelo Ball led the way in which, tallying 34 factors, 11 assists and eight rebounds. He closed the sport out in an enormous approach for Charlotte, scoring 12 factors within the fourth quarter, together with seven within the closing 2:10.

Tre Mann additionally put up an enormous night time, pouring in 24 factors and a pair of free throws to ice the sport.

The season-opening win is a powerful one for Charlotte, who in its first recreation underneath rookie head coach Charles Lee, charged again within the second half after being behind for a lot of the night time. Lee attributed the comeback largely to his crew’s defensive stands.

“When it actually mattered and we would have liked to claw again into this recreation, I believed our protection took one other degree,” he stated. “Within the first half, we bought some fairly beauty and we didn’t knock them down, sadly. Within the second half, some guys kicked it into one other gear, however for essentially the most half I noticed our defensive depth rise to the event.”

Lee additionally praised Ball for his efficiency and work ethic, and described what a wholesome Ball appears to be like like for the Hornets.

“He’s just like the engine for us,” Lee stated in his postgame press convention. “If we’ve got a wholesome LaMelo Ball, I believe we’re going to do plenty of actually good issues as a result of I do know that he’s going to proceed to develop, and he helps everybody round him wish to proceed to be higher, too, which is actually thrilling. So the person and collective group will develop.”

Staying on the courtroom has been tough for Ball in latest seasons, with him enjoying in simply 58 video games out of the crew’s 164 over the previous two seasons. He has primarily handled ankle accidents.

As for accidents, second-year star Brandon Miller exited Wednesday’s recreation with a hip harm and didn’t return.

Jalen Inexperienced and Alperen Sengun led the way in which for the Rockets, scoring 28 and 25 factors, respectively, as Charlotte held Houston to simply 37% from the sector.

The Hornets shall be again in motion Friday night time once they tackle the Atlanta Hawks, who’re coming off of a decent opening night time victory themselves. Tipoff is about for 7:30 at State Farm Enviornment in Atlanta.

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