LaMelo Ball is not an elite good solid defender.
However, Saturday night with time running out, the Hornets up one and the ball in the hands of Tyrese Haliburton — who had already dropped 43 in the game — LaMelo made an impressive defensive play to seal the win.
LaMelo steals the ball and the Hornets hang on for the win ‼️
— NBA (@NBA) November 5, 2023
Hornets: 125
Pacers: 124 pic.twitter.com/eiQuEl9okB
Ball had 11 points on 4-of-15 shooting for the game but with 11 dimes. Defensive center Mark Williams showed he is capable of making a difference on the other end and scored 27, Gordon Hayward had 23 and Terry Rozier 22 for Charlotte.
Indiana dropped to 3-3 on the season with the kind of game good teams don’t lose, but the Pacers allowed 74 points in the paint and that — as well as the Hornets going 23-of-23 from the free throw line — was the difference. That shouldn’t obscure a great night from Haliburton, who looks like an All-Star.
Tyrese Haliburton left it all out there for the @Pacers!
— NBA (@NBA) November 5, 2023
43 PTS (ties career-high)
12 AST
8/12 3PM pic.twitter.com/tBZASJcIp1
