On Friday, Charlotte Hornets rookie LaMelo Ball registered his first 30-point game of the season to set a new career-high in a 138-121 loss at home to the Utah Jazz.
Ball, in just his third start of the season, produced 34 points, eight assists and four rebounds. He finished by shooting 14-of-27 from the field, including 4-of-9 from 3-point range, while he committed no turnovers in 39 minutes of action.
The third overall pick became the youngest player in NBA history at 19 years old to score at least 30 points and five assists with no turnovers in a game. He is also the 10th rookie in franchise history with 30 points in a game and just the third with at least five assists.
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Ball turned in a strong fourth-quarter performance on Friday, producing 15 points alone in the period. The Hornets trailed by as many as 19 in the fourth quarter, and cut the deficit to nine points, but were unable to complete the comeback with the Jazz prevailing in the end.
Through three games as a starter, Ball is averaging 23.3 points and has proven to be reliable in that role. The inclusion of Ball in the starting lineup isn’t permanent, but the 19-year-old is certainly showing that he is capable of handling those responsibilities.
This post originally appeared on Rookie Wire! Follow us on Facebook!
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