Charlotte Hornets fans will be pleased after their young star LaMelo Ball shared his thoughts after taking the court following a lengthy injury break.
Ball returned to action against the Miami Heat, and while they did end up losing 132-115, the guard had a decent outing playing 28 minutes for his 15 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists.
According to The Charlotte Observer, Ball, coming back after a 213-day hiatus felt it was good to finally get in on some basketball action. He was sidelined ahead of the new season with a Grade 2 ankle sprain he sustained during their preseason skirmish against the Wizards.
“It just felt good to be back for real, get some run,” Ball said. “Defense, offense. It’s just basketball for real. It was just fun to be back.”
He further added:
“I feel straight. More games, it will get easier. So, I think I’m in a good spot.”
The Hornets’ hopes of making a comeback after a competitive first half were dashed after Miami went off in the third quarter dishing out 45 points and holding Charlotte to 25. The dominant performance made their task of getting back into the contest tougher as they eventually finished 17 points short.
Charlotte Hornets Will Hope To Get Back To Winning Ways With LaMelo Ball’s Return
With LaMelo Ball back in the mix, the Hornets will look to snap their eight-game losing streak. Their last win was against the Golden State Warriors last month and they have been on a 0-8 tumble since.
Speaking to the daily, Hornets coach Steve Clifford was optimistic that the guard’s arrival would help the side stitch some wins going forward, although it wasn’t meant to be against Miami.
“He was able to do more this morning in shootaround and you could feel it. Again our guys have worked hard. We’ve had a couple of games here where the breaks or whatever didn’t go our way and they want to win badly. So when a player of his caliber comes back. It makes the game easier for everybody.”
Charlotte is placed 14th in the East with 3-11 after enduring a disastrous preseason. They will face the Orlando Magic next, followed by the Indiana Pacers.
If you are interested in more NBA news, follow us on Google News for the latest updates.
