LaMelo Ball’s Jekyll-and-Hyde performance dooms the Hornets

The Charlotte Hornets couldn't build off their season-opening win against the Houston Rockets, falling to the Atlanta Hawks in another nail-biter.

For the second consecutive game, a glaring problem has emerged for Charlotte. It started the contest poorly, going down 28-16 in the first quarter behind 6-19 shooting and LaMelo Ball attempting just one field goal in the opening period.

The Hornets came alive, though, finding their rhythm on offense after a forgettable opening period. Unfortunately, the Hawks proved to be better in the end. They staved off an inspired rally by Charlotte and escaped with a 125-120 victory at home, thanks partly to Trae Young's 38 points.

LaMelo Ball's shooting barrage was marred by erratic play

A huge reason the Hornets were back in the game was Ball, who recorded 18 points and four 3-pointers in the second quarter to help his squad pull within 62-58 entering halftime. He then continued his torrid shooting after intermission, connecting on all five of his attempts from beyond the arc to sink a career-high nine 3-pointers.

Ball fell one short of the franchise record for most 3-point field goals made in a match, which is shared by Kelly Oubre Jr., Terry Rozier, Devonte' Graham, and Kemba Walker. Still, it was an impressive showing from the 2022 All-Star, complementing his 34 points with five rebounds and four assists.

Unfortunately, it wasn't enough for Charlotte to eke out a win. Perhaps it would have helped if Ball had taken better care of the ball and been able to stay on the court during crunch time. He committed 10 turnovers, which also set a Hornets mark as he passed Walker's previous ignominious record.

Coincidentally, his last turnover also disqualified him for the evening, as he was called for an offensive foul on Trae Young while trying to set an off-ball screen.

Without their star for the final 3:33 of the game, the Hornets couldn't pull off the comeback. Would it have made a difference had he been on the floor?

Charlotte certainly would have had better chances, especially considering how clutch the 23-year-old guard was against the Rockets on Wednesday. Scoring or assisting on 10 of the Hornets' last 12 points was key to Ball steering his team to victory over Houston and proving that all he needs to be impactful is staying healthy.

Hopefully, he can play better on Saturday as he and his team will play in front of the Charlotte crowd, hosting the Miami Heat for their home opener