LaMelo Ball’s maturity impresses the Hornets: “He’s our leader”
LaMelo Ball reclaims his leadership role with the Hornets as Brandon Miller praises his point guard after a dominant win over the Sixers
The Charlotte Hornets blow out the Philadelphia 76ers and take away encouraging signs from the pairing of LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller. The two continue to grow together, and when both are healthy, Charlotte clearly becomes a more competitive team.
Ball, now in his sixth NBA season, logged just 20 minutes but made his impact felt primarily through his playmaking. He finished with 11 points, 8 assists, 2 rebounds, and 1 steal, shooting 4-of-12 from the field and 2-of-6 from three. A steady performance that helped control the tempo in a game the Hornets dominated from the opening minutes.
After the game, Brandon Miller spoke about his teammate – who has come off the bench at times in the latter part of the season – highlighting how central Ball is to the group:
I’ve been saying it for a long time: when he’s healthy, he can become a threat to any team we face. The fact that he’s our leader means a lot to us and to our young core.
Brandon Miller
Miller was the game’s leading scorer, finishing with 30 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals. His efficiency stood out: 9-of-11 from the field, 6-of-8 from three, and 6-of-6 from the free-throw line. In total, eight Charlotte players scored in double figures, a clear sign of a confident, connected team.
With the win, the Hornets improve to a 19-28 record, remaining 12th in the Eastern Conference. Charlotte sits 5.5 games behind the Nets and 8 behind the Pacers, while trailing the Bucks by just half a game and the Hawks by 3.5.
Now riding a three-game winning streak, the Hornets will look to build momentum on their next road trip, starting with a matchup against Memphis on January 28.