LaMelo Ball erupted for 27 of his 30 points in the second half, tying his career high with nine 3-pointers, as the Charlotte Hornets pulled away to beat the Los Angeles Lakers 135-117 on Thursday night.
Ball added 11 assists and six rebounds and put on a show in his native Los Angeles area, drilling eight 3-pointers after halftime and celebrating each one as Charlotte silenced the home crowd.
Brandon Miller scored 26 points, Miles Bridges added 25 and rookie Kon Knueppel chipped in 19 as the Hornets delivered another impressive performance on their West Coast trip. Charlotte improved to 2-1 on the swing, continuing to show flashes of promise after its recent blowout win at NBA-leading Oklahoma City.
Luka Doncic led all scorers with 39 points, hitting six 3-pointers, and LeBron James finished with 29 points and nine rebounds for the Lakers, who have lost four of their last five games. Los Angeles struggled defensively, allowing Charlotte to score 105 points over the final three quarters.
Doncic scored 19 points and knocked down three 3-pointers in the opening quarter as the Lakers carried over momentum from a high-scoring win over Atlanta. But the Hornets seized control in the second quarter, stretched the lead to 15 in the third, and never allowed Los Angeles to seriously threaten down the stretch.
Jake LaRavia added 18 points for the Lakers, whose bench contributed just nine points on 4-for-19 shooting.
Up next:
The Hornets visit Golden State on Saturday, while the Lakers continue their trip at Portland on Saturday.
