Hornets' LaMelo Ball did not like the manner in which his team played in his return from a 20-game absence.
LaMelo Ball finally made his return to the hardwood for the Charlotte Hornets on Friday night against the San Antonio Spurs. Ball has missed the past 20 games for the Hornets, with the team going 3-17 during that span. Thus, getting a boost from the return of the their best player is huge for a team that's been missing his leadership at the point of attack. Balance Board
However, Ball's return did not go according to plan. In fact, even though he put up 28 points and five assists in 27 minutes of action, the Hornets still suffered one of their worst defeats of the season, a 135-99 beatdown from Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs.
As good as it may have felt for LaMelo Ball to finally put his ankle injury in the rearview mirror, the Hornets star envisioned a more competitive display from the entire team in his return, especially against a similar-caliber team in the Spurs.
“It’s always good to play basketball, but s**t not like that. But it was cool to get back out there,” Ball said, per Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer. “Always when you lose, it’s for sure disappointment. Here we’ve still got a chance to make something happen. So I’m just looking forward for real.”
LaMelo Ball didn't look like he missed a beat in his return to play. He led the team in scoring and got to the line a total of 16 times, making 15 of his attempts from the charity stripe. The Hornets star also tallied five steals for good measure.
Alas, the Hornets shot 36.4 percent as a team, and it's always difficult to win a game while shooting that poorly, especially when the opposition was getting whatever they wanted on offense. Still, as terrible as a 36-point defeat is, the good news is that Ball is feeling good out there as he tries to play the remaining half of the season out to the best of his abilities.
“I feel great. I’m alive. I’m blessed. Can’t complain. I’m good,” Ball added. “I don’t really like watching basketball. It wasn’t really fun. That’s why I was happy to get back. So, I’m definitely just trying to come back and just play.”
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