CHARLOTTE, North Carolina– The Charlotte Hornets (12-13) came into Monday night’s matchup with the Houston Rockets (11-12) looking to ride the momentum off their win on Sunday. They came out on top for the second straight night as they downed the Rockets 119- 94. They used a dominant fourth quarter to pull away as they held the Rockets to 7 points on the quarter.
For most of the night, the Hornets held a single-digit lead but failed to pull away. That changed in a big way in the fourth, as lights-out three-point shooting helped balloon the lead to double- digits.
Rookie point guard LaMelo Ball led the charge, finishing with 24 points on 7-12 shooting from the three-point line. His 7 made threes tied the Hornets’ rookie record for three-point makes in a game.
Starting the fourth quarter, the Rockets trailed by just three but were frustrated on the offensive end in a big way in the final frame. A 19-1 Hornet run buried the Rockets’ comeback hopes; they went 0-10 from the field in that run that lasted until around 4 minutes remaining in the game.
“In the fourth, we were just all pretty much locked in, and we got it done,” Ball said after the game.
With the win, the Hornets pull to a tie for 6th in the Eastern Conference with the Atlanta Hawks. The loss drops the Rockets out of a tie for 10th in the West, now a half a game behind the Memphis Grizzlies.
LaMelo Ball leading youth movement in Charolette
Not many NBA rookies have been in the national spotlight as much as LaMelo Ball has in his young career. Playing with his brothers, Lonzo and LiAngelo, he won a California State Championship as a freshman at Chino Hills High School. He was a major factor in putting the Ball family on the map; his 92-point game as a sophomore in high school went viral, as LaMelo pulled three-point shots from way beyond the line. Since that game, LaMelo’s arrival in the league has been on the mind of NBA fans as his family surged in popularity.
After a rough few weeks to start his career, the third overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft has settled into his role in Charlotte. Since being inserted into the starting lineup four games ago, he has averaged 22.3 points per game and shot 60% from the three-point line.
Ball was the standout for the Hornets in the first half; he had 15 points on 4-6 shooting from three. He also added 6 assists and 3 rebounds as the Hornets led by 4 at halftime. Along with his 24 points, he finished with 10 assists and 7 rebounds. His 7 made threes and 10 assists made him the third ever player to accomplish those numbers as a rookie, joining Stephen Curry and Jason Kidd.
As their starting point guard of the future, Ball is the central piece of the Hornets’ youth movement. Of the eleven Hornets players who saw action, six were drafted by the Hornets in the last three drafts. Miles Bridges, the third-year player out of Michigan State, was critical off the bench, finishing with 17 points and 10 rebounds.
“Listening to the playbook, following what the coaches are saying, and everyone following their roles, we are going to keep getting it done,” Ball said of his team’s success after the game.
Rockets without multiple key players
Coming into the game, the Rockets were already dealing with an injury to their leading scorer, Christian Wood. Early Monday, it was announced they would also be without John Wall and Eric Gordon as both were rested for load management purposes.
Without the two, the Rockets’ backcourt was limited in rotations. Victor Oladipo, the two-time all-star, was the only guard in the starting lineup. He finished with 21 points, which led the team, but struggled in the fourth quarter run, leaving them behind big. Forwards Je’Sean Tate and Danuel House Jr. both added 13 points in the losing effort.
Up Next
Rockets @ Pelicans, Tuesday, February 9, Smoothie King Arena, New Orleans, LA Hornets @ Grizzlies, Wednesday, February 10, FedEx Forum, Memphis, TN
