Charlotte Hornets 105-116 LA Lakers: 5 Hits and Flops as LaMelo Ball duels with LeBron James
The LA Lakers continued their impressive run since the All-Star break as they handed the Charlotte Hornets their 20th loss of the season. LeBron James dominated proceedings from the get-go as the Purple and Gold came away with a 116-105 win to rise to the second seed in the Western Conference.
All eyes were on LaMelo Ball, who played against King James for the first time ever and didn't disappoint. The same can't be said for the Charlotte Hornets in general though who committed 19 turnovers and made just 60% of their free throws. The LA Lakers were in control throughout the game as a result.
While LeBron James and LaMelo Ball led the charge for their respective teams, performances from their teammates shaped the outcome of the tie. Without further ado, let's look at the hits and flops from the LA Lakers' resounding win against the Charlotte Hornets.
#1 Hit: LeBron James (LA Lakers)
LeBron James had to truly flex his muscles for the first time in the second half of the season. LeBron scored the first five points for LA Lakers and was on fire in the first 24 minutes of the ballgame. He had 22 points on 8-of-9 shooting during this period as the Purple and Gold led by 15 points at the break.
LeBron's efficiency wore off after the break but he made some good defensive plays to restrict the Charlotte Hornets. King James finished with 37 points, eight rebounds and six assists to bring up a fourth consecutive win for the LA Lakers.
#2 Flop: Gordon Hayward (Charlotte Hornets)
To his credit, Gordon Hayward created several good looks for his Charlotte Hornets teammates and even did well on the boards. But his shot-making was simply mediocre on the night. He couldn't make baskets in the fourth when his side needed him to, as he finished with a paltry seven points on 3-of-8 shooting.
Hayward was devoid of the needed aggression against the LA Lakers. He was too passive at times and that didn't help his side's case. He is supposed to be the leader of the Charlotte Hornets and there's no reason for him to take just eight shots in such an important game.
#3 Hit: LaMelo Ball (Charlotte Hornets)
LaMelo Ball was slow to start the game as we went just 2-of-8 from the field in the first half. He came roaring back in the second and fueled the Charlotte Hornets' 17-4 run in the third quarter that allowed them to level up with the LA Lakers. He scored 12 of his 26 points in this game during the fourth quarter.
LaMelo also had seven assists on the night as he meshed with Terry Rozier and Bismack Biyombo on multiple occasions. He was careless in possession on a few occasions as well and had six turnovers, something that needs to be improved upon.
#4 Flop: Montrezl Harrell (LA Lakers)
Montrezl Harrell came into the game on the back of two monstrous outings where he contributed a total of 52 points on 22-of-29 shooting. So naturally, expectations of him were high for this matchup considering that the Charlotte Hornets do not have star big men on their roster. He ended up with a forgettable outing though.
Even though Harrell managed 11 rebounds, he found it rather difficult to finish his shots. He scored just seven points on 2-of-6 shooting in 21 minutes. His defense wasn't worth writing home about either.
#5 Hit: Dennis Schroder (LA Lakers)
Even though Dennis Schroder has struggled from downtown this season, he's found different ways to contribute to the LA Lakers. His presence on the court takes a lot of pressure off LeBron James who can focus more on his scoring instead of thinking about creating shots for his teammates.
Schroder scored 22 points on 9-of-19 shooting against the Charlotte Hornets but also managed seven assists and four rebounds. A pesky defender by nature, he did well to contain LaMelo Ball in the first half, even forcing the latter to commit a turnover.