The Charlotte Hornets earned a 120-116 win over the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday night. LaMelo Ball finished the game with 20 points, six assists and three rebounds while connecting on four three-point attempts. An impressive Ball preseason contest wouldn't be anything to write about typically -- as he's already one of the better players in the NBA -- but Saturday's game was different.
Cooper Flagg was the talking point. The 2025 No. 1 overall pick played well, yet Charlotte emerged victorious. The Mavs had most of their players available, with Anthony Davis and Klay Thompson among the starters who played alongside Flagg. Although the final score was close in the end, the Hornets held a more notable lead earlier in the game while Ball was on the floor.
One of the primary criticisms of Ball has been his ability to lead a winning team. Everyone knows Ball is extremely talented. He makes plays on the floor that are truly jaw-dropping. LaMelo features incredible long-range scoring ability, finishing at the basket prowess and tremendous court vision. On Saturday night, however, Ball displayed he could indeed lead the Hornets to a win against a good team.
Now, it is only the preseason. Charlotte still likely is not going to contend during the 2025-26 campaign. The Hornets are thinking about their long-term future, though. Some have suggested that the team needs to trade LaMelo Ball and build around Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel. The Hornets are probably considering whether or not Ball is in their plans for the future at the moment.
So, what exactly was different about Ball's play on Saturday? Well, he was far more willing to make the extra pass. As mentioned, he finished with six assists. He was willing to defer to Miles Bridges and others at times as well-- Bridges finished with 20 points in the game.
LaMelo ultimately had 13 shot attempts. Bridges took 18 attempts from the field while Knueppel was third on the Hornets with 11. Miller added 10 field goal attempts. It was far more balanced than in the past. The Hornets played as a team -- something Ball helped to orchestrate. He is clearly learning how to not just find individual success, but how to win in the NBA.
Could things change in the regular season? Anything is possible, but Saturday's performance was promising for a Hornets team that is looking to reach the next level.
Ball has displayed what it takes to win in the past. Saturday's game worked as a reminder of sorts. However, the reminder came with improvement -- something Hornets fans should be excited about.