LaMelo Ball Reaches Luka Doncic: “He Makes Everything Look Easy”
Against the Mavericks, LaMelo Ball makes even the most complex plays look simple, catching Dirk Nowitzki’s eye and writing a new page in NBA history
When LaMelo Ball is healthy and can play without worrying about his ankle, the outcome is almost always the same: Charlotte looks different. More pace, more confidence, more freedom. And often, more wins.
That was confirmed Thursday night in the Hornets’ 123-121 win over the Dallas Mavericks, a game that went down to the final possession and was decided by Kon Knueppel’s clutch plays. In the middle of it all, Ball found a way to carve out a piece of NBA history.
LaMelo Ball reaches 2,000 assists and a historic milestone
The nine assists he handed out against Dallas weren’t just valuable for the result. With those reads, Ball surpassed 2,000 assists in his first 300 NBA games, entering an extremely exclusive club.
As noted by the Hornets’ official account on X, LaMelo is just the fifth player in NBA history to record 5,000 points, 1,500 rebounds and 2,000 assists in his first 300 appearances, joining names as heavy as Luka Doncic, Magic Johnson, Oscar Robertson and Walt Frazier.
A list that says more than any slogan ever could.
Talent that plays with joy (and makes everything look easy)
Ball’s on-court demeanor continues to divide opinions: some see him as too carefree, almost disengaged. In reality, it’s precisely that freedom that makes him devastating when the shot is falling and his legs respond.
Not by chance, even Dirk Nowitzki, reacting to one of his one-legged step-back threes, couldn’t help but smile:
He makes everything look easy.
Dirk Nowitzki
The win over Dallas extended the Hornets’ streak to five straight, this time without domination. The reason had a clear name: Cooper Flagg, who poured in 49 points, determined not to let the Mavericks slip away.
Charlotte answered with balance and depth: all five starters scored in double figures, led by Knueppel’s 34 points (an NBA career high). Ball finished with 22 points and 9 assists, while Brandon Miller added 23 points, including the go-ahead three in the closing moments. Miles Bridges and Moussa Diabate rounded things out with 17 and 10 points, respectively.
A clear signal for the Hornets’ future
This version of Charlotte works because Ball doesn’t have to force the issue – he can simply lead. When the playmaking flows and the talent around him responds, the Hornets stop being just an entertaining team and become a credible one.
Joining a club shared with Doncic and Magic Johnson isn’t just a statistical note: it’s a reminder of how high LaMelo Ball’s ceiling can be, if his body allows him the continuity to reach it.