Ball Triple-Doubles and Reaches NBA Milestone, Charlotte Records 12 BLKS to Beat Spurs
Two days after their offense piled up 144 points, it was the defense and rim protection of the Charlotte Hornets that got the job done in a 120-110 home victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday night.
LaMelo Ball notched his third triple-double of the year in the pre-All-Star-Break finale, finishing with 28 points, a season-high 12 rebounds and 10 assists in the triumph, the Hornets’ fifth in a row against San Antonio. Ball’s efforts also made him the second-youngest player in NBA history to record 1,000 points, 1,000 rebounds and 1,000 assists behind only LeBron James.
The outcome in this one was still up in the air midway through the fourth quarter, as Doug McDermott’s fifth 3-pointer pulled San Antonio to within one with 6:26 to go. Charlotte’s defense helped create an 8-0 run over the next two-and-a-half minutes and after four unanswered points from Keldon Johnson, Ball and PJ Washington re-widened the gap by each hitting a 3-pointer to put the game out of reach for the Spurs.
Nick Richards (career-high five), Mark Williams (four) and PJ Washington (three) combined for a season-high-tying 12 Charlotte blocks, while altering several more Spurs’ attempts in the process. San Antonio shot 38.3% and 13-of-38 from 3-point range (34.2%), but missed 15 shots at the rim (18-of-33; 54.5%) and 35 in the paint overall (27-of-62; 43.5%).
“I’d say our defense was better,” said Steve Clifford afterwards, when asked about the Hornets’ game-ending 17-8 run. “Mark was a big part of that around the rim. Gordon [Hayward] created the big three [to LaMelo Ball at the end of the 8-0 run]. LaMelo off the pick-and-roll, the drive-and-kick, PJ hit the big one. Our guys did a good job. That last game [before the All-Star Break] you never know what you’re going to get, and I thought we tried hard. They did a good job.”
He added, “Our effort was good, which has been a positive. It doesn’t matter what level – when you win a game, it’s just such a different feeling or vibe amongst the group. I think everybody will go wherever they’re going feeling good about it and hopefully come back having done some work, so we’re not fighting those little conditioning things that pop up after the All-Star Break.”
Despite Terry Rozier sitting out with a hand sprain, a season-high-tying seven Charlotte players scored in double figures: Ball, Washington (22), Hayward (16), Williams (12), newcomer Svi Mykhailiuk (12), Bryce McGowens (11) and Dennis Smith Jr. (10). Williams and Washington each grabbed 10 rebounds to notch double-doubles, with Smith coming up an assist shy of doing so, as well.
Rookie Malaki Branham (23) and Johnson (21) both had 20-point games for the Spurs in their franchise-record-setting 14th consecutive loss. McDermott totaled 17 points on 5-of-7 shooting from 3-point range off the bench and Zach Collins tallied 14 points and 11 rebounds for his fifth double-double of the season and second in four games.
The Hornets will now have a full eight days off for the NBA All-Star Break before heading north to face the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday, Feb. 24 beginning at 8 PM ET. Follow all the action on Bally Sports Southeast and WFNZ 92.7 FM.
