Charlotte Hornets make big comeback, win first game behind huge night from LaMelo Ball

HOUSTON (WBTV) – The Charlotte Hornets started their season off on a high note, rallying from an 18-point deficit to beat the Houston Rockets 110-105 in the first game of the year.

Superstar point guard LaMelo Ball led the way, tallying 34 points, 11 assists and 8 rebounds. He closed the game out in a big way for Charlotte, scoring 12 points in the fourth quarter, including seven in the final 2:10.

Tre Mann also put up a big night, pouring in 24 points and a pair of free throws to ice the game.

The season-opening win is an impressive one for Charlotte, who in its first game under rookie head coach Charles Lee, charged back in the second half after being behind for most of the night. Lee attributed the comeback largely to his team’s defensive stands.

“When it really mattered and we needed to claw back into this game, I thought our defense took another level,” he said. “In the first half, we got some pretty good looks and we didn’t knock them down, unfortunately. In the second half, some guys kicked it into another gear, but for the most part I saw our defensive intensity rise to the occasion.”

Lee also praised Ball for his performance and work ethic, and described what a healthy Ball looks like for the Hornets.

“He’s like the engine for us,” Lee said in his postgame press conference. “If we have a healthy LaMelo Ball, I think we’re going to do a lot of really good things because I know that he’s going to continue to grow, and he helps everyone around him want to continue to be better, too, which is really exciting. So the individual and collective group will grow.”

Staying on the court has been difficult for Ball in recent seasons, with him playing in just 58 games out of the team’s 164 over the past two seasons. He has primarily dealt with ankle injuries.

As for injuries, second-year star Brandon Miller exited Wednesday’s game with a hip injury and did not return.

Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun led the way for the Rockets, scoring 28 and 25 points, respectively, as Charlotte held Houston to just 37% from the field.

The Hornets will be back in action Friday night when they take on the Atlanta Hawks, who are coming off of a tight opening night victory themselves. Tipoff is set for 7:30 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta.

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