Hornets upset win over Lakers featured a LaMelo Ball milestone

Ball continues to cement his name among Hornets' franchise greats with his playmaking ability.

Ali Jawad | Feb 20, 2025

Feb 19, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (1) celebrates after a basket during the third quarter Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jason Parkhurst-Imagn Images / Jason Parkhurst-Imagn Images

In this story:

Charlotte Hornets

To sum up last night, the underdog team pulled off an upset victory, while their star player reached a milestone.

LaMelo Ball reached a franchise milestone for the Charlotte Hornets during the team's 100-97 upset win on the road, on Wednesday night over the Los Angeles Lakers, snapping their three-game losing streak.

Ball surpassed former Hornets guard Baron Davis for fifth place on the franchise's all-time assists list, recording 1,609 career assist's following last night. The achievement came during a solid performance where Ball contributed 27 points, six rebounds, and five assists.

Hornets’ LaMelo Ball crosses Lakers’ Luka Doncic pic.twitter.com/vpBmNRvG9s
— Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) February 20, 2025

The Hornets mounted an impressive comeback after trailing by 13 points in the third quarter. A decisive 17-1 run helped Charlotte seize momentum and take the lead heading into the final period. The teams traded baskets throughout a tense fourth quarter before the Hornets secured their victory.

The win marked a significant triumph for Charlotte, who has struggled to find consistency this season. Ball's milestone adds another highlight to his growing legacy with the franchise.

Davis, who played for the Hornets from 1999 to 2002, helped establish the franchise's early success in Charlotte. Ball, the third overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft, hopes to replicate upon that foundation while creating his chapter in Hornets history.