At a Glance
- LaMelo Ball poured in 27 of his 30 points after halftime, drilling nine threes to tie his career high
- Charlotte erased a shaky start and outscored L.A. 105-78 over the final three quarters
- The Hornets’ 135-117 win is their second stunner in ten days after toppling NBA-leading Oklahoma City
- Why it matters: Charlotte’s young core flashed its upside while the reeling Lakers dropped four of five
LaMelo Ball returned to his hometown and promptly hijacked the night, burying nine 3-pointers-eight in the second half alone-to lift the Charlotte Hornets past the Los Angeles Lakers 135-117 on Thursday at Crypto.com Arena.
Second-Half Inferno
Ball finished with 30 points and 11 assists, but the numbers barely capture the burst. He opened the game 1-for-5 and sat the final 5:12 of the first quarter in foul trouble. When he re-entered, the Hornets trailed 39-31. Over the next 27 minutes Charlotte outscored the Lakers 104-78.
The 22-year-old guard’s personal highlight reel:
- Pulled up from 28 feet to beat the third-quarter buzzer
- Hit back-to-back threes to stretch a 91-86 lead to 97-86
- Danced and stared down the Laker bench after his eighth triple gave Charlotte a 14-point edge
“It’s just fun, man,” Ball said in an on-court post-game interview televised by News Of Los Angeles. “I grew up in this gym. To come home and do it in front of family and friends-this one feels different.”
Supporting Cast Steps Up
Charlotte’s balance proved overwhelming. The Hornets placed five players in double figures and shot 54% overall:
| Player | Points | Field Goals | Three-Point |
|---|---|---|---|
| LaMelo Ball | 30 | 10-19 | 9-14 |
| Brandon Miller | 26 | 9-16 | 4-9 |
| Miles Bridges | 25 | 10-18 | 3-7 |
| Kon Knueppel | 19 | 7-11 | 3-6 |
| Jake LaRavia | 18 | 7-12 | 2-5 |
The rookie Knueppel, a second-round pick out of San Diego State, added six rebounds and three steals. “We’re not just one guy,” Bridges told Ethan R. Coleman. “When we move the ball like that, we’re tough to guard.”
Luka’s Hot Start Fizzles
Luka Doncic opened with three straight threes and 19 first-quarter points, matching Charlotte’s entire output over the opening 12 minutes. He finished with 39, but needed 30 shots and had just four assists. The Lakers managed only nine bench points on 4-of-19 shooting.
LeBron James chipped in 29 points and nine boards, yet defensive breakdowns doomed any comeback try. Charlotte shot 14-for-24 (58%) from deep after the opening period.
“We scored enough to win most nights,” James said. “But you can’t give up 135 and expect to beat anybody.”
A Troubling Trend for L.A.
The loss is the Lakers’ fourth in five games and follows a pattern:
- Monday: routed 138-110 at Sacramento
- Tuesday: rebounded with 140-132 home win over Atlanta
- Thursday: surrendered 135 to a Charlotte squad that entered 19-24
Head coach Darvin Ham tweaked the starting lineup, inserting Marcus Smart for Rui Hachimura, but the move produced no defensive spark. Smart went scoreless in 18 minutes while Hachimura watched the entire fourth quarter.
According to News Of Los Angeles‘s game notes, the Lakers have now allowed 130+ points in three of their last five contests after doing so just once in their first 40 games.
Hornets Finding Footing on Road Trip
Charlotte improved to 2-1 on a five-game West swing that continues Saturday at Golden State. Ten days earlier they shocked Oklahoma City by 27, and Thursday’s rout suggests the first win was no fluke.
Coach Steve Clifford credited a simplified game plan: push pace, hunt threes, swarm on defense. The Hornets forced 17 Laker turnovers and turned them into 24 points.
“We’re young, but we’re starting to understand what wins on the road,” Clifford said. “When LaMelo is that aggressive, everyone else feeds off it.”
What’s Next
Charlotte: visits Chase Center to face the Warriors on Saturday, seeking a third straight road victory.
Los Angeles: heads north to Portland for a date with the Trail Blazers, hoping to steady the ship before a daunting stretch that includes Denver, Boston and Milwaukee next week.
