Hornets Suffer Embarrassing 36-Point Loss to Spurs in LaMelo Ball's Return
SAN ANTONIO, TX - Steve Clifford was irate after the Charlotte Hornets' loss to the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday, citing a lack of intensity. I think it's safe to say that 48 hours later, that frustration remains in place following a 135-99 loss to the San Antonio Spurs, who had a 6-30 record entering the night.
LaMelo Ball missed the last 20 games with a right ankle sprain, but in his return tonight, he looked his normal self. And had he not played in this one, it's hard to imagine how much uglier this one could have got.
But when one Hornet comes back from an injury, another typically goes down and that was the case tonight with rookie Brandon Miller. The former 2nd overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft left tonight's game in the first half with a back contusion and did not return.
Best of the Night: LaMelo Ball.
Ball was fantastic on both ends of the floor which was is a great thing to see if you're Steve Clifford. Ball has dealt with a number of ankle injuries over the past two seasons and you never know how long it will take for him to get back into rhythm. Tonight was a great start. He finished the game with 28 points, three rebounds, five assists, and five steals.
Worst of the Night: Do I have to pick just one area?
My goodness, we could point to just about every aspect of this game and label it as the worst of the night if we wanted to. Yes, it was that bad. That being said, I guess we'll go with the offensive efficiency/shot selection. The Hornets made several bad decisions with the ball, but to make matters worse they failed to convert near the rim. Shooting 36% from the field as a team makes it impossible to win.
Stat of the Night: LaMelo Ball from three.
In the first half of tonight's game, LaMelo Ball passed Glen Rice for sixth all-time in Hornets franchise history in made three-pointers (508).
Highlight of the Night:
Next Up: Hornets at Heat, Sunday at 6 p.m. EST
You can follow us for future coverage by liking us on Facebook & following us on X:
Facebook - All Hornets
X - @All_Hornets and Schuyler Callihan at @Callihan_.
