LaMelo Ball Highlights vs Grizzlies - 01/04/23
Memphis Breaks Away for Good Late in 1st Quarter, Ball Reaches Historic Assist Milestone
Going against a Memphis Grizzlies squad they’ve had their fair share of troubles with in recent years, the Charlotte Hornets were simply no match once again in a 131-107 home defeat on Wednesday night at Spectrum Center.
LaMelo Ball was one of four Hornets to score in double figures, finishing with 23 points on 7-of-23 shooting, four rebounds and a season-high-tying 12 assists. Ball’s seventh assist in the second quarter – a drive-and-kick whip pass into an above-the-break 3-pointer by Jalen McDaniels – made him the fourth-youngest player in NBA history to reach 1000 for his career behind only LeBron James, Stephon Marbury and Trae Young.
Up six with 4:11 remaining in the first quarter, Memphis turned up the heat and outscored the Hornets 49-23 over the ensuing 19 minutes to take a 76-47 halftime lead. Getting to the line 28 times helped the Grizzlies produce the second-highest first-half total by a Charlotte opponent this season, as did the Hornets only shooting 32% and 8-of-27 on 2-pointers (29.6%). Things didn’t get any better in the second half for Charlotte, as Memphis rolled to an easy victory.
“I think tonight it was more the offense led to the defensive problems,” said Hornets Head Coach Steve Clifford afterwards. “The last five-and-a-half minutes of the first quarter, it was decision-making at the rim. They’re all in on helping. They’re great at protecting the rim. We had some opportunities where maybe we could kick the ball out, but they’d block shots or we’d miss layups that led to layups. I don’t think our defense was great, but I think the bigger problem was the turnovers. And that’s what they do. They score a ton off their defense.”
Terry Rozier (21), McDaniels (16) and PJ Washington (15) all crossed the 10-point threshold for the Hornets, who finished the game shooting 40.4% and 28.9% from 3-point range (11-of-38). Memphis took 37 free-throw attempts – tied for the most conceded by the Hornets this season – and dominated on the glass with a 59-44 differential.
One positive note for the Hornets was the return of Cody Martin, who had been out since Opening Night before undergoing a left knee procedure in November. The fourth-year wing recorded four points on 2-of-7 shooting, four rebounds and two assists in 21 minutes and will be needed in the coming weeks with Kelly Oubre Jr. set to have left hand surgery on Thursday.
“It’s a blessing,” said Martin. “I’ve been out for so long. The staff’s done a great job of being consistent with getting my body right, getting me where I need to be to get out there and compete. This is the first time I’ve really dealt with something like this and it went kind of how I expected. This is my first run at it and I’m excited to get back out there on the floor.”
Ja Morant led the victorious Grizzlies with 23 points and eight assists in the win. Desmond Bane had 19 points, a career-high 10 rebounds and four assists for his first NBA double-double, while Steven Adams nearly joined him in the double-double club with nine points and a game-high 15 rebounds. This win for Memphis also marked the seventh victory in eight head-to-head meetings with Charlotte since the start of the 2019-20 season.
Coming up next for the Hornets will be a four-game road trip starting with the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday, Jan. 6 at 8 PM ET. Follow all the action on Bally Sports Southeast and WFNZ FM 92.7.
Hornets vs Grizzlies Gallery ‑ 01/04/23
1 / 11CHARLOTTE, NC - JANUARY 4: JT Thor #21 of the Charlotte Hornets boxes out during the game against the Memphis Grizzlies on January 4, 2023 at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2023 NBAE (Photo by Kent Smith/NBAE via Getty Images)
