LaMelo Ball shined in the fourth quarter, scoring 16 of his total 28 points, leading the Charlotte Hornets to a 124-120 victory over the San Antonio Spurs during Friday’s NBA action. This win marked the end of a six-game losing streak for the Hornets.
Victor Wembanyama, the highly-touted rookie for the Spurs, was sidelined for the sixth game this season. After spraining his ankle on December 23rd in a game against Dallas, he has been under careful watch by the team.
Although his absence was initially attributed to “rest” in the injury report, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich clarified that it was due to medical advice. Wembanyama is currently on a minutes restriction and is not permitted to play in consecutive games, though this may change soon.
“No, it’s not rest; it’s doctor’s orders,” Popovich said. “He’s been working on his body and he has got a minutes restriction and is not allowed to play back-to-backs right now. It will probably change very soon but for now, we have to abide by that restriction.”
NBA NEWS & SCORES: LaMelo Ball, Charlotte Hornets, San Antonio Spurs Updates
The Hornets saw significant contributions from their players, including Brandon Miller, the second overall pick, who scored 24 points. Miles Bridges and P.J. Washington added 23 and 20 points, respectively. Despite their overall record standing at 9-30, and having only their second win in 19 games, Hornets coach Steve Clifford praised the team’s perseverance and competitiveness.
“It’s just good for confidence,” Clifford said. “I’m really proud of them for the way they’ve hung in there. We’ve kept competing and working hard. It’s important to win, you know, just to feel good.”
For the Spurs, Keldon Johnson came off the bench to lead the team with 25 points, and Tre Jones added 16 points, 12 of which were in the fourth quarter. However, their efforts were not enough to stop the team’s slide, as they suffered their fourth consecutive loss, bringing their record to 7-34.
NBA NEWS & SCORES: LaMelo Ball, Charlotte Hornets, San Antonio Spurs Updates
The game’s pivotal moment came when San Antonio briefly took the lead, but Charlotte quickly regained control with a 10-point run.
The Spurs managed to narrow the gap to a single point with 1:23 left on the clock, but Ball’s impressive driving reverse layup and free throws from Miller and Terry Rozier in the final seconds sealed the win for Charlotte. Clifford commended the team’s crucial plays at the end of the game,
“We made a lot of good plays there at the end of the game, which is important,” Clifford said.
NBA NEWS & SCORES: LaMelo Ball, Charlotte Hornets, San Antonio Spurs Updates
Ball executed a key layup to put Charlotte ahead 120-117. Miller reacted: “That’s just Melo being Melo.”
Looking ahead, the Spurs will face the Washington Wizards on Saturday night, while the Hornets will host the Philadelphia 76ers.
