LaMelo Ball scored 27 of his 30 points in the second half and tied his career high with nine 3-pointers, leading the Charlotte Hornets to a 135-117 win over the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena on Thursday. Ball also had 11 assists and six rebounds, hitting eight triples after halftime to silence the home crowd.
Brandon Miller added 26 points, Miles Bridges contributed 25, and rookie Kon Knueppel scored 19 as Charlotte improved to 14-26. The Hornets outscored the Lakers 105-78 after the first quarter, continuing their strong West Coast trip following a 27-point victory over Oklahoma City ten days ago.
Luka Doncic led Los Angeles with 39 points, including six 3-pointers, while LeBron James added 29 points and nine rebounds. The Lakers struggled from deep and received just nine points from their bench, shooting 4-for-19 overall.
Charlotte shot 54% from the field and 47% from three-point range, while converting 94% of free throws. Los Angeles finished with 46% shooting, 37% from distance, and 74% at the line, unable to keep pace with the Hornets’ balanced attack.
Jake LaRavia scored 18 points for the Lakers, whose four losses in five games include two defeats to sub-.500 teams in the past four days.
Charlotte continues to showcase its offensive depth despite its overall losing record, with Ball, Miller, and Bridges all posting 20-plus points.
The Hornets will face the Golden State Warriors on Saturday, while the Lakers travel to Portland to take on the Trail Blazers that same night.
