For the first time in what felt like an endless road heater, the Charlotte Hornets finally stumbled, falling 111–99 to the Phoenix Suns on Sunday night. Back‑to‑back losses are unfamiliar territory for this group, but the winning streak away from home always felt a bit unsustainable.
What made this one especially frustrating was LaMelo Ball’s complete absence from the free‑throw line. Not a single attempt. Meanwhile, Devin Booker had a camp sent up there, with 15 trips to the stripe on his own. In today’s NBA, getting to the line is vital particularly for Ball, whose efficiency can fluctuate from night to night. Free throws offer high‑value, uncontested points that can swing a game in your favor. And with Ball shooting 90.1 percent from the line this season, the Hornets are leaving points on the table when he’s not getting whistles.
So where does the blame fall for the zero free‑throw night? Is Ball not initiating enough contact, or are the officials looking the other way when he absorbs contact?
LaMelo vs. Refs
Ball has come a long way. In past seasons, the lazy fouls and the emotional frustration with officials often worked against him, shrinking his minutes and his whistle. He’s still not perfect, but to his credit, he’s made real strides this year. He's becoming a better leader for this young team.
But even with that growth, getting to the free‑throw line remains one of the biggest gaps in his game. The numbers are jarring: Ball barely cracks the top 100 in free‑throw attempts, averaging just 2.4 per contest. When you rewatch the Suns matchup, it’s hard not to notice the missed calls. There were multiple drives where he absorbed clear contact and still came up empty on the whistle.
The bright spot is that Ball has been far more aggressive finishing at the rim lately. He’s attacking with purpose and refusing to shy away from the paint. But referees have to be more consistent when officiating games for Charlotte. Booker taking 15 free throws, which matched the entire Hornets team's attempts, highlights a disparity that’s impossible to ignore.
Maybe that’s part of why Charles Lee and the Hornets lean so heavily into the “live by the three, die by the three” identity. Officials can’t take away your spacing or your shooting volume beyond the arc, which has led to the team being No. 2 in the league in three-pointers made per contest. They can however make life difficult at the stripe.
Even though Ball can't get the whistles consistently, he's still the engine of the offense. Charlotte has dealt with adversity since the beginning of the year, so this shouldn't be a cause for alarm after two losses. Still, the Hornets are skating on thin ice if they drop another game or two on this road trip.