While the jury is still out on the Charlotte Hornets and their potential in the Eastern Conference, they’re an incredibly exciting team to watch. With their youth and talent, they’ll be a tough opponent on a nightly basis. On Wednesday night, it looked like the same old Hornets—able to score but struggling on the defensive end.
However, in a surprising turn, they made crucial stops when it mattered most, erasing an 18-point deficit to secure a 110-105 victory over the Houston Rockets , led by star point guard LaMelo Ball . After giving up 60 points to the Rockets in the first half, the Hornets tightened up defensively, allowing only 45 points in the second half. Ball and Tre Mann found their offensive rhythm, helping to rally the team back into the game.
Ball had a standout performance with 34 points, 11 assists, eight rebounds, one steal, and one block, while Mann contributed 24 points and six rebounds off the bench. Following the victory, former NBA star Baron Davis took to social media to share his praise for the duo. "The @hornets look good !! Lamelo back !!!!! Watch out for Tre Mann !!!" Davis posted.
The @hornets look good !! Lamelo back !!!!! Watch out for Tre Mann !!! At the end of the day, this team has the talent to be highly effective, with LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller , Miles Bridges , and Tre Mann emerging as the core four for offensive productivity. However, the main question remains to be if they can play defense consistently? Will they buy into what first.