Charlotte Hornets head coach Charles Lee made a surprising decision in Tuesday night’s 116-115 loss to the Brooklyn Nets, benching star guard LaMelo Ball with just over three and a half minutes left in the game. The move came during the team’s second NBA Cup matchup and raised questions about the rationale behind sidelining one of the league’s most productive fourth-quarter players.
The benching occurred shortly after Ball missed a layup and committed a frustration foul. When asked about the decision postgame, Lee provided insight into his reasoning.
“Melo has been phenomenal for us and he’s done so many good things. He’s creating offensively and guarding, and I just thought that Tre had a little better of a hand tonight and was helping us a little bit more on both ends of the court,” Lee said. “But, that’s not to say that we weren’t getting anything from Melo early in the game. I thought he did a really good job of setting the table and doing some good things too.”
Lee emphasized that his decision wasn’t an indictment of Ball’s overall play but rather a strategic adjustment.
“I think every night it could be someone different. And they all have to accept the fact that if another guy has it going, we probably need to ride that hand,” Lee added.
LaMelo Ball’s crunch time brilliance overshadowed as Charles Lee’s benching decision draws attention vs. Nets
Ball has been a standout performer this season, especially in crunch time. He currently leads the NBA in fourth-quarter scoring, averaging 10.3 points on 53.3% shooting from the field and 45.7% from three. Overall, Ball is averaging a career-high 28.4 points, 6.6 assists, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.2 steals per game while shooting 42.6% from the field and 36.2% from beyond the arc.
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Despite his strong season, Ball struggled against the Nets, finishing with 13 points, five assists, and two rebounds while committing four turnovers and shooting just 3-for-13 from the field. In contrast, Tre Mann contributed 19 points, six assists, and three rebounds while shooting 7-for-17. Mann’s performance ultimately earned him Lee’s trust in the game’s final minutes.
The loss dropped Charlotte to 5-9 on the season and 0-2 in the NBA Cup. The Hornets also fell to the Orlando Magic in their first tournament matchup last week.
The Charlotte Hornets will return home for a matchup against the Detroit Pistons (7-9) on Thursday before heading to Milwaukee for a game against the Bucks (5-9) on Saturday night.
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