LaMelo Ball orchestrates Hornets’ second-half blowout of Heat
LaMelo Ball pumped in 30 points and distributed 13 assists as the Charlotte Hornets opened a seven-game homestand with a 136-106 victory against the Miami Heat on Tuesday night.
Coby White's 24 points and Kon Kneuppel's 22 points also boosted Charlotte (35-34), which was coming off a 2-2 road trip. Brandon Miller had 16 points and Miles Bridges added 14 points.
A huge second half allowed the Hornets to pull away. They held a 25-6 scoring edge in the first 6 1/2 minutes of the fourth quarter, ending up outscoring Miami 40-18 in the quarter as part of Charlotte's 77-point second half.
Tyler Herro led the Heat with 20 points while Norman Powell had 17 points, Keshad Johnson supplied 15 points, Pelle Larsson notched 14 points and Simone Fontecchio ended up with 10 points. Miami (38-31) has lost two in a row since its seven-game winning streak.
Miami's Bam Adebayo, who a week earlier poured in 83 points vs. the Washington Wizards, did not play because of a calf injury.
It was the second Heat-Hornets meeting in 12 days as Charlotte avenged a 128-120 setback in the same building earlier in the month.
Ball, who also collected six rebounds while reaching the 30-point mark for the second time in three games, and Miller each had four 3-point baskets. White, who shot 8-for-15 off the bench, added three long-range connections. While the Hornets ended up 17-for-42 from beyond the arc, Miami was only 7-for-36.
Charlotte's 48-43 rebounding advantage was aided by Moussa Diabate's 13 boards and Bridges' 10 rebounds.
Charlotte's halftime lead was 59-57. The Hornets produced the game's first double-digit lead late in the third quarter, but Johnson scored the first points of the fourth quarter to put the Heat within 96-90.
But less than three minutes into the fourth quarter, the Hornets regained a 105-90 edge. Ball had five points and two assists during that 9-0 surge.