LaMelo Ball played an almost perfect game for the Charlotte Hornets on Thursday against the Indiana Pacers. He did it even if he came off the bench, which is the first time ever in his career.
Hornets reporter Rod Boone suggested that this move by the coaching staff has something to do with management of his health. They played the Toronto Raptors the night before.
When facing back-to-backs, the team and LaMelo are trying to get creative and want to maximize his availability, league sources told @theobserver.
So, LaMelo may not start in both ends of consecutive games so he can be available more in the fourth quarter, I’m told. https://t.co/MlMiYw5JHw
— Rod Boone (@rodboone) January 8, 2026
Hornets trailed 16-6 with Ball reduced to an audience from the bench but when he entered at the 06:35 mark, things changed for them. The 2024 All-Star made sure to make up for the lost time and got his team back in the game to end the first quarter down by just three points.
They trailed by 10 points once in the third quarter and by the 10-minute mark of fourth quarter, they found themselves in the driver’s seat although the Pacers managed to get the lead again.
They could have done it in the last two minutes of the game but then Pascal Siakam made a driving lay-up in under 11.5 seconds to get the lead back once more. Pacers won it, 114-112.
Ball finished with 33 points and 8 assists, 8 assists. He also had seven three-pointers made. StatMuse said he is the only one in NBA history with that statline.
LaMelo Ball vs Pacers:
33 PTS
8 AST
3 STL
7 3PThe first bench player in NBA history to reach those numbers in a game. pic.twitter.com/nMGEt8rgHq
— StatMuse (@statmuse) January 9, 2026
LaMelo Ball wishes he had better decisions
Ball said he agreed with the decision to have him come off the bench so that he can finish the game. He got what he wanted but not the victory.
The loss, according to him, is his responsibility. He thought that that should have just dribbled the ball out to deny the Pacers of another chance at the rim.
🎙️ LaMelo Ball: “I didn’t start today so I could finish the back end.”
“I take full responsibility, that was my fault. That last lob, could’ve dribbled that out and some silly possession before that. The last pass, I should’ve shot that instead of putting Bull in that position.” pic.twitter.com/ukLNdTU5Fn
— r/CharlotteHornets (@HornetsReddit) January 9, 2026
This is the second game in a row that the Hornets lost by just one possession, both by game-winning shots. They also had this kind of loss last week when Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokoummpo hit an alley-oop dunk on them to win the game.
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