It was once a strategy that basketball fans and personalities strongly disagreed with. But once Hornets HC Charles Lee opted to protect LaMelo Ball, it was the turning point of Charlotte's season.
The Charlotte Hornets are a team that has completely flipped its identity.
From a franchise that has forever been the team that had “potential” to the team that is finally living up to it.
But this isn’t just a team that has “gotten lucky.”
The numbers suggest that this is a team set up for sustained success.
Earlier this week, former NBA veteran Jeff Teague and his brother Marquis were discussing on the Club 520 podcast about the positive impact that head coach Charles Lee has had on LaMelo Ball.
"He got what he needed, that coach was the best thing for him... Charles Lee, shoutout to him. Great decisions."
Similarly, Hornets forward Grant Williams hopped onto Teague’s podcast and expressed the importance that Ball had on the roster.
“Our offense runs through and with him. We see our on-off numbers with him on the court. He impacts our winning to a level that is hard to compare to anyone across the league in terms of playmaking."
What exactly do those numbers entail? Funny you should ask.
- First time playing in 50 games since 2021-22
- +13.3 on/off rating – first in NBA (minimum 200 minutes played)
- The Hornets starting five of Ball, Brandon Miller, Kon Knueppel, Miles Bridges, and Moussa Diabate holds the league’s best offensive rating (137.0 – minimum 200 minutes played together)
- Since January 1, Ball has hit the most 3-pointers in the league. Knueppel and Miller are ranked second and third most.
But wait! There’s more.
Over the past 15 games, the Hornets are first in 3-point percentage, true shooting, free throws, rebounds, opponent rebounds, and opponent second chance points.
The main takeaway here though is that Charlotte needs Ball to play. Desperately.
Which is a dangerous strategy when you think about it. Put all of your chips on the guy who missed over 100 games out of a possible 246 from 2022 through last season.
However, that’s what made the idea of having Ball come off the bench in certain back-to-back games so important.
It's an idea that initially made fans and media alike scratch their heads, but quickly forced them to understand the purpose of it
Rest his body for most of the game, then utilize him when you need him most, which is the fourth quarter.
Charlotte had a lot of issues with closing games in the first half of the season, going 4-16 in games decided by 10 points or less.
Around the time that Lee imposed the strategy of having Ball come off the bench in certain games, Charlotte then went 7-6 in games decided by 10 or less.
And it’s only going to get better from here.
With all the records that the rookie Knueppel has been setting and Miller’s efficient scoring, Ball is the straw that stirs the drink for the Hornets.
Not just that, he’s living up to the star potential that many had projected for him when he was drafted second overall in 2020.
Stars officially bring franchises into the conversation, and the Hornets are only in the beginning stages of it.
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