LaMelo

Ball

LaMelo’s 10 three-pointers tied the Hornets franchise record. The 24-year-old point guard played only 27 minutes, but caught fire from beyond the arc. Ball also had seven assists and zero turnovers, only adding to his masterful performance. The Hornets have three games upcoming in Week 18, starting with a matchup against the Bulls on Tuesday.

In the past, a poor shooting night would lead to Ball having a terribly inefficient night overall. He’s grown this season, and the Hornets point guard committed two turnovers in Friday’s defeat. That was one of the reasons why Charlotte was able to hang with the Cavaliers despite LaMelo struggling with his shot. Fantasy managers may not take much solace in that, but it’s a clear sign of growth for the point guard.

Ball didn’t shoot the ball well on Saturday, but he offered value in other ways. His nine assists led the Hornets, and he committed just two turnovers. During Charlotte’s nine-game win streak, he’s averaged 2.7 turnovers per game, an improvement on his season average (3.1). Ball will have his work cut out for him on Monday, as the Hornets open a five-game Week 17 at home against the Pistons.

While Ball is shooting 39.7 percent from the field over the past two weeks, his overall production is one reason why the Hornets have won their last eight games. Since shooting 0-of-10 from three in a January 21 loss to the Cavaliers, LaMelo has made at least two triples in each game of the win streak. While turnovers and shot selection can still be an issue for Ball, he’s making strides to the delight of the Hornets and fantasy managers.

Ball took a hit to the face early in this game after both he and head coach Charles Lee went for a ball that was going out of bounds. Ball went to the locker room, but he was able to return and push Charlotte’s winning streak to seven games. Ball hasn’t been the only reason for Charlotte’s recent success, but he has only missed three games since November, which is a great development for him. They continue to manage his minutes, which has allowed him to stay available. That limits his impact in the box score, but he’s still able to be more productive that most players in limited action.

Though Ball’s injury appears to be minor, fantasy managers should keep an eye on his playing time for the rest of the game and check to see if he shows up on the injury report ahead of Thursday’s matchup with the Rockets.

Inclement weather, which prevented the Spurs from getting back to Texas after losing on Saturday in Charlotte until mid-afternoon Sunday, is the reason for the time change. Fantasy managers with Pelicans or Hornets on their rosters will need to set their lineups a few hours earlier than they may have planned.

While Ball didn’t have the best day shooting the basketball, including a 3-of-9 afternoon from inside the arc, his work as a playmaker helped the Hornets extend their win streak to six games. During the run, the Hornets’ point guard’s assist-to-turnover ratio has been excellent, with Ball recording 47 assists and 17 turnovers. He’s shooting just 36.5 percent from the field over the last two weeks, which has negatively affected Ball’s fantasy value. That said, fantasy managers should be encouraged by the decrease in turnovers.

Recently, the Hornets have taken measures to manage Ball’s workload, so the training staff must have loved Monday’s outcome. Charlotte won by a large margin, beating the 76ers 130-93, which led to Ball playing only 20 minutes. Fantasy managers who have him rostered would have hoped for a more competitive game given the impact on Ball’s playing time, but keeping him healthy throughout the season is Charlotte’s priority.

Inclement weather in parts of the country has forced some changes to the NBA schedule. Monday’s game between Philadelphia will start four hours earlier than scheduled, at 3 PM Eastern.