Hornets Catch Fire From Deep to Spoil Trae Young’s Return 133-126
When LaMelo Ball is feeling it, the energy in the Spectrum Center shifts for the Hornets. You can feel the air leave the lungs of the opposing bench. On Thursday night, that air was sucked out early and often as Ball and the Charlotte Hornets put on a shooting clinic that belonged in a video game, taking down the Atlanta Hawks 133-126.
For a team that has struggled to find consistency this season, seeing the ball fly through the net with such reckless abandon was exactly the tonic they needed.
A Historic First Half From Beyond the Arc
Let’s talk about the first 24 minutes, because what happened was nothing short of absurdity. The Hornets didn’t just get hot; they went supernova.
LaMelo Ball, returning from a nagging right ankle injury that had sidelined him, looked like he hadn’t missed a beat. Actually, he looked like he hadn’t missed a shot. Ball buried seven 3-pointers in the first half alone. But he wasn’t the only one. The rim looked like an ocean for everyone wearing teal and purple.
By the time the halftime buzzer sounded, Charlotte had drained 18 three-pointers. That number ties both the NBA record and the franchise record for triples in a first half. It was a barrage that left the Hawks’ defense scrambling, looking at each other for answers that simply weren’t there. When you’re guarding a team that shoots nearly 50% from deep on high volume (they finished 24 of 49), defensive schemes tend to fall apart.
LaMelo Ball Returns with a Vengeance
There’s always a question mark when a star player comes back from an ankle issue. Will they be tentative? Will the explosiveness be there?
Ball answered those questions immediately. In just 29 minutes of action, he posted a stat line that screams efficiency: 28 points and 13 assists. He shot 8-of-11 from downtown. It wasn’t just the scoring; it was the playmaking. With Ball orchestrating the offense, the Hornets moved the ball beautifully, racking up a staggering 39 assists on 49 made field goals.
The chemistry between Ball and his teammates was palpable. In the third quarter, Ball tossed a dime to Brandon Miller for a running alley-oop dunk that brought the crowd to its feet—a highlight-reel moment that signaled the Hornets were having fun again.
Rookies and Young Guns Step Up
While Ball was the conductor, the rest of the orchestra played their parts perfectly. Rookie Kon Knueppel continues to show why he belongs in this league. He matched Ball with 28 points of his own, drilling 6-of-12 from three-point land. Seeing a young player step up with that kind of confidence alongside established stars is a promising sign for Charlotte’s future.
Brandon Miller was equally impressive, adding 26 points and keeping the pressure on Atlanta’s perimeter defense. When you have three players scoring 26+ points, you are going to win a lot of basketball games.
Jalen Johnson’s Heroics Not Enough for Hawks
We have to give credit where it’s due. On the other side of the floor, Jalen Johnson was a one-man wrecking crew for Atlanta. He poured in a career-high 43 points, grabbed 11 rebounds, and dished out 9 assists, falling just shy of a triple-double. He was efficient, aggressive, and frankly, the only reason the Hawks stayed within striking distance.
The narrative coming into the game was the return of Trae Young from a sprained MCL. However, rust was evident. Young played on a minutes restriction (20 minutes) and struggled to find his rhythm scoring-wise, finishing with just 8 points. While he did manage 10 assists, his impact was muted compared to the explosion we saw from the Hornets’ backcourt.
What This Win Means for Charlotte
This victory improves the Hornets to 9-18. On paper, that record doesn’t jump off the page. But context matters. This marks only the second time this season they’ve won consecutive games. Building winning habits takes time, and doing it against a division rival while setting shooting records is a massive confidence booster.
The team shot 53.8% from the field and seemingly couldn’t miss when it mattered. Defensively, they generated 11 steals, turning Atlanta’s 15 turnovers into easy transition opportunities.
Charlotte heads to Detroit on Saturday night looking to extend this streak to three. If they shoot anything as they did on Thursday, the Pistons are in for a long night. For now, the Hornets can savor a night where the rim felt ten feet wide and the wins felt well-deserved.
