CHARLOTTE, N.C. — When LaMelo Ball knocked down the game-sealing 3-pointer with 30 seconds left, he held up three fingers, and skipped down court.
The crowd cheered loudly.
It was over, and the Hornets picked up one of their biggest wins of the season — a 116-106 victory over the Atlanta Hawks.
The Hornets needed this one. They were half a game behind the Hawks in the Eastern Conference entering Wednesday. Now they are half a game ahead and return to ninth place.
Ball led the Hornets with 22 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds. It was one of his better games this month. He limited his turnovers and gave the Hornets a chance.
It was the Hornets' third consecutive win.
Here are some takeaways:
Harrell was the spark
Hands down, the player of the game was Montrezl Harrell. He was the spark that kept the Hornets in the game and gave them a 97-92 lead midway through the fourth.
When Hornets coach James Borrego took him out, the Hornets seemed to lose momentum briefly before re-gaining it.
Harrell was all over the offensive glass, cleaning up misses and putting them back in for dunks and “and-1” fouls. After a bucket, he’d often flex or pound the ball against his head.
He finished with 20 points and six rebounds, four of which were on the offensive glass.
The Hornets need this version of Harrell on a regular basis to boost their bench and for late-game situations.
Thomas making an impact
Isaiah Thomas is showing exactly why the Hornets signed him to a second 10-day contract last week. He played brief minutes against the Hawks, but made an impact in the little time he played.
Hawks players tried to take advantage of the size advantage they had against him, whether that was through a switch or when he was guarding them. Thomas is 5-foot-9, 185 pounds and one of the shortest players in the league, if not the shortest.
But he often held his own on defense. There were multiple times he contested shots and forced a miss.
In the nine minutes he played, he had two points and two assists. He’s also been a veteran voice for Ball.
Thomas may not be the All-Star he used to be, but he can still make an impact.
Gasp for Plumlee
Mason Plumlee’s struggles this season from the free-throw line have been well-documented by now. He’s shooting 36.4% from the line this season, a career low.
In the first quarter, he air-balled a free throw. In reaction, the crowd let out an collective gasp.
Later that half, Plumlee made a free throw and some in the crowd stood up and cheered. It was one of the loudest cheers of the first half.
Hornets lock down Young
Perhaps the most impressive part of the Hornets’ game was the defense on Young.
Terry Rozier was the primary defender on Young, and he got some help from teammates.
The Hornets often trapped Young, and sent double teams his way, making him give up the ball. It was a frustrating night for the young star, who is fourth in the league, averaging 28.3 points per game.
But Rozier never let up.
Young, who scored a season-low nine points, was 0 of 6 from behind the 3-point line and 3 of 12 from the floor overall. He had 15 assists, but also had six turnovers.
