The Charlotte Hornets have been sliding down the Eastern Conference standings since LaMelo Ball fractured his wrist a little over a month ago. Before the injury, the Hornets were the No. 5 seed with the potential to move up to the No. 4 seed.
Now, the Hornets find themselves slotted at the eighth spot and would have to partake in the NBA's new play-in tournament to remain in postseason contention. Charlotte has struggled to piece together a winning streak and is in danger of possibly not even having an opportunity to sniff the playoffs. Ball is the engine that helped this team get wins. The Hornets missed out on a lot with him out, but here are three things that stand out above the rest as he gets close to a return.
1. Transition Points
Scoring in transition is one of the easiest ways to score in the NBA. However, you have to be willing to run the floor and have someone push the pace with the basketball. LaMelo Ball's first instinct when he does get the ball is to push it up the floor to find the man who decides to run with him. Without Ball on the court, the tempo of the Hornets' offense has slowed down tremendously and they generate most of their points out of half-court sets. Since Ball has entered the league, we have seen him show full-court dimes for one of his teammates streaking in transition. Fast-break points are huge for this team, so, hopefully, Ball can get back to finding his teammates for easy looks in the open court.
2. Playmaker
Transition points are important, but not as important as finding a flow within the offense in general. The Hornets' shot selection has been a little questionable as they have not been able to hit guys in rhythm for easy shots. Missing a natural playmaker like LaMelo Ball has forced Terry Rozier into that role more often, along with Devonte' Graham. Rozier has been great for the Hornets all season and is having a career year, but he is better suited as this team's No. 1 scoring option. Having both responsibilities is not an ideal situation for him or the team for that matter. Having Ball back will help the offense revert back to how it looked before his injury and hopefully propel them upward in the standings.
3. Energy
No disrespect to Miles Bridges, because the man has been putting people on posters over the last month, but LaMelo Ball makes highlight plays almost every time he touches the ball. He just has a knack for the big play. In some ways, he has a flair for the dramatic, but in a good way. His energy is contagious and his teammates are always inspired by whatever shot, pass, or dunk he might perform. Charlotte has not had this kind of spark since Kemba Walker departed for Boston a couple of years ago. Watching Ball play brings hope to not just Hornets fans, but basketball fans in general because he is already considered one of the best young stars.
Ball's game will continue to grow as soon as he return to a Hornets team that needs him as soon as possible. To contend in the East, they are going to need all their pieces to make a run. It will not be easy, but the Hornets have a good supporting cast around LaMelo Ball. They can still turn this around.
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