LaMelo Ball's improved decision-making in clutch has paid off huge for Hornets

The Charlotte Hornets are already two wins better at this point than they were last season. At 5-7, they are currently eighth in the Eastern Conference and appear on pace to secure at least a play-in tournament berth.

Of course, avoiding the playoffs and keeping a first-round pick (Charlotte owes a lottery-protected first-rounder to the San Antonio Spurs) in next year's supposedly loaded draft continues to be an under-the-radar storyline for the team.

Regardless of where they end up in the standings at the end of the campaign, though, building the right foundation for long-term contention remains a foremost priority for the Hornets. So, a lot of eyes are on LaMelo Ball and how his skills and leadership continue to improve.

Ball's decision-making in crunch time has produced wins

Barring any injuries, the 2021 Rookie of the Year is on track to secure his second All-Star berth this season. His 29.6 points per game rank fifth in the league, and only Anthony Edwards has averaged more 3-pointers so far. Moreover, Ball has continued to be the king of the fourth quarter this year. He is still on pace to shatter the all-time record in average scoring in the final period for a season.

On Saturday, he displayed the ice in his veins when he sank a pair of free throws with 7.3 seconds left to lift the Hornets to the 115-114 victory against the Milwaukee Bucks.

Ball found himself facing off against Giannis Antetokounmpo with Charlotte down one. He could have jacked off a 3-pointer but instead used a wicked crossover to freeze the 2020 NBA Defensive Player of the Year a bit. That gave Melo enough room to drive to the rim.

He may have gotten the benefit of the whistle, as a foul call was controversially called against Antetokounmpo, allowing Ball to make the trip to the charity stripe. Still, the young playmaker's decision to be aggressive and not settle for the jump shot helped yield a favorable call.

Impressively, his quick and sound thinking in the clutch has helped the Hornets run to a respectable record this early in the 2024-25 campaign.

In the squad's win in the season opener versus the Houston Rockets, Ball assisted on Grant Williams' go-ahead 3-pointer with 40.1 seconds left to break a tie. He then calmly made two free throws to keep the Rockets at bay. A week later, the former No. 3 pick drove for a layup to make Charlotte's bout against the Toronto Raptors a two-possession game late in the fourth stanza.

The Hornets then pulled off two consecutive wins earlier this month, thanks to Ball's five straight points with less than a minute remaining versus the Detroit Pistons that set up Brandon Miller's game-winning putback. The following contest saw the California native put up 17 points in the last period to steer Charlotte to a blowout triumph over the Indiana Pacers.

So, Ball has shown his quick wit and steady hands in clutch, giving the Hornets a reliable go-to guy in close battles.