Battle of Ball brothers: Pelicans Vs Hornets

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New Orleans Pelicans faced off Charlotte Hornets at Spectrum Center, Charlotte for their regular-season matchup.

The game not only featured a battle between two conferences.

The Pelicans, from the Western Conference while the Hornets, from the Eastern Conference.

But also featured a battle between two Ball brothers.

As Lonzo Ball from the Pelicans battled with his little brother LaMelo Ball from the Hornets.

Even though LaMelo defeated his older brother in scoring.

It was Lonzo who took the final win as the Pelicans beat the Hornets 112-110 after coming back from behind in the second half.

From the start, the Ball brothers were going at each other defending, scoring, and more making the match interesting.

Besides the Balls battle, the match also featured the Hornets shooting guard Terry Rozier‘s career-high scoring points.

And the Pelicans six players scoring in double figures.

Both the teams entered the court without some of their key players.

The Pelicans played without Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram, and Steven Ada

ms due to injuries.

The Hornets were without Devonte Graham, Miles Bridges, and Gordon Hayward.

Despite being short in numbers both the team did a great job at holding each other off until the last seconds of the game.

Before the Pelicans took the win with two points over the Hornets, keeping their chance for the spot in the play-in tournament.

The Pelicans took the lead in the first quarter

Ball brothers: Lonzo Ball and LaMelo Ball, both started for their respective teams and faced off each other from the start.

Naji Marshall opened the night with a three-pointer for the Pelicans.

While LaMelo answered right back with a three-pointer of his own after PJ Washington missed the shot.

The Pelicans took the early lead of seven points over the Hornets on Eric Bledsoe’s three-pointer about 5 minutes into the first quarter.

Lamelo then paced into the rim for the layup but was blocked by Willy Hernangomez then Bledsoe drew a foul while driving into the basket, giving three points to the Pelicans and extending the lead to 8 points.

Subsequently, the Hornets blocked the Pelican’s shot back-to-back saving the buckets, which gave the Hornets a chance to score.

Caleb Martin scored a three-pointer on the other end for the Hornets and PJ Washington scored a layup in the next possession to bring the game within a point.

However, Brad Wanamaker tipped off the offensive rebound for the Pelicans extending the lead for the Pelicans.

Cody Zeller answered right back for the Hornets. He hit back-to-back buckets to keep the Pelicans within four points.

The Hornets were down three points with 1:18 left to play in the game before the Pelicans Jaxon Hayes fouled while dropping a layup which gave them three points.

They were 29-25 when the clock showed 30.6 seconds.

Hayes scored a layup to bring the game 31-25, he also blocked Malik Monk, maintaining the lead.

The Pelicans rookie Nickeil Alexander-Walker hits a three-pointer from about 65 ft at the buzzer to end the quarter 34-25.

The Hornets come back in the second quarter.

After Nickeil hit the three-pointer the Pelicans took 11 points-lead over the Hornets in the first quarter.

As the second quarter started, LaMelo Ball hit a jumper cutting the Pelicans lead.

LaMelo hits another one after being blocked away before bringing the game within five points 36-31 with 9:34 left to play in the quarter.

Lamelo fired up again hitting a three-pointer from behind the arc.

Terry Rozier hits a layup after missing a three-pointer cutting the Pelican’s lead to a point.

Both the teams went back and forth hitting the shot with the Hornets trailing the Pelicans for more than halfway into the second quarter.

The Hornets were able to take the lead with 5:16 left to play but Kira Lewis Jr. took the lead right back with a layup.

Subsequently, the Hornets gained their rhythm taking a two-point lead with 4:43 left in the quarter.

Rozier extended the lead with a three-pointer. He again hits another three-pointer on Caleb’s pass.

The Hornets took 9 points to lead with 3:36 left to play in the second quarter.

They didn’t stop there, Lamelo drive into the basket for the layup giving them eleven points.

Finally, Naji Marshall scored for the Pelicans, but LaMelo answered right back with a layup to maintain the lead.

They were at 51-60 with the Hornets in the lead and a minute left in the half.

PJ Washington hits a three-pointer as the shot clock winded down cutting the lead.

Hornets Biyombo bad pass Terry almost gives the Pelicans another chance to cut the lead but Biyombo blocked Bledsoe making up his mistake.

Hence the quarter ended 57-67 the Hornets 10 points ahead.

The Pelicans tried to make the comeback.

Bledsoe opened the third quarter with a three-pointer for the Pelicans and the Hornets answered right back making a 5-0 run with Terry hitting a three-pointer and PJ dropping a bucket.

LaMelo countered Bledsoe’s bucket with a layup subsequently his older brother Lonzo answered him back with a three-pointer.

Pelicans vs. Hornets: the Lonzo and LaMelo Ball
Pelicans vs. Hornets: the Lonzo and LaMelo Ball (source: sports. yahoo)

Lonzo hits another three-pointer right after that cutting the lead within a four-points.

LaMelo also answered back scoring the buckets back-to-back.

They were 79-80 halfway into the second quarter.

But the Hornets did not allow the Pelicans to take the lead throughout the quarter.

They trailed the Pelicans with as much as four points for the quarter.

As the Hornets answered back every bucket the Pelicans made.

Terry Rozier‘s hot shooting continued helping the Hornets to keep the lead. He also hit a three-pointer with 3.7 seconds left in the quarter that ended the scoring of the quarter.

The Pelicans thrived to win.

Down by six -points entering the fourth quarter, the Pelicans were desperate to find the buckets.

They did so scoring the first bucket of the quarter after a minute and a half of the quarter.

Wes Iwnundu opened the quarter with his first bucket of the night.

Soon James Johnson hit a three-pointer at the shot winded down bringing the game within two points.

The Pelicans took the lead for the first time in the half after playing for about six minutes in the fourth.

Lonzo Ball then hit a three-pointer extending the lead 104-100 halfway into the fourth.

Now the Hornets trailed the Pelicans until LaMelo alley-oop to PJ tied the game 105-105 with about three minutes left to play.

Both sides continued to tie the game scoring back and forth until Hayes scores the basket on Lonzo’s pass giving the Pelicans a two-point lead.

The Pelicans took a five-point lead with 10.5 seconds left to play in the quarter.

Terry scored a three-pointer in the last second of the game but was too late and the Pelicans beat the Hornets 112-107.

The Ball brothers battle.

LaMelo Ball and Lonzo Ball faced off for the second time this season. In the first match up LaMelo outscored Lonzo and also took the final win but this time it was different.

In this match-up, LaMelo again outscored his older brother Lonzo Ball as LaMelo dropped 22 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 assists while Lonzo contributed 12 points along with 3 rebounds and 6 assist.

However, it was Lonzo who took the final win as the Pelicans defeated the Hornets.

The Brothers went at each other again as they used to in their childhood.

At one point LaMelo tried to steal the ball from his older brother Lonzo after Lonzo grabbed a rebound.

He dived to take the ball from Lonzo but got charged with a foul.

They then didn’t guard each other most of the game but did everything they could for their team.

Both of them gave their team major plays to keep their team in the game.

Their plays didn’t disappoint as both put up a good number on the scoreboard.

Rozier’s career-high points and the Pelicans scoring in double figures.

Another highlight of the game from the Hornets’ Terry Rozier, who dropped his career-high 43 points, 4 assists, and 5 rebounds.

He dropped 43 points on 16-of-36 shooting including seven 3-pointers playing 42 minutes.

Besides Terry, PJ Washington scored 14 points and 12 rebounds double-double along with 2 assists.

Cody Zeller led Charlotte’s bench, contributing 17 points, and 8 rebounds.

On the other hand, six of the Pelicans’ players scored in double-figures.

Starting from Eric Bledsoe, who led the Pelicans scoring 24 points and 11 assists double-double along with 4 assists.

Followed by James Johnson who contributed 17 points and 8 rebounds.

Then Naji Marshall made 13 points, 2 assists, and a rebound.

Lonzo Ball dropped 12 points, 3 rebounds, and 6 assists.

Similarly, Jaxson Hayes dropped 18 points, 8 rebounds leading the Pelicans’ bench.

Followed by Nickeil Alexander-Walker who contributed 13 points, 3 assists, and 4 rebounds.

The Pelicans perseverance.

Despite taking the lead in the first quarter, the Pelicans failed for the next two quarters as they were down as much as 12 points.

But still held on and gave a tough matchup to the Hornets to ultimately win in the final quarter.

This was the Pelicans’ fourth win in the last six games.

“The one thing I have said about this team is we are giving ourselves a chance to win each and every game,” Bledsoe said. “We are trying to play every game and learn from it.”

Bledsoe did a great job for the team in the absence of Zion Williamson who is out indefinitely due to injury.

“We persevered — we persevered,” Pelicans coach Stan Van Gundy said.

Rozier said the Pelican’s defense in the second half was the difference in the game.

“They just ramped up their pressure, they were keying in on me, every time I was coming off a down screen or a ball screen they were up on me,” Rozier said.

“That personnel is what I’m going to see the rest of this season and the play-in.”

Hayes scored New Orleans’ last four points for the win and the second-year player continues to make plays for the team.

“One thing about Jax, he might tend to foul a little bit but he never gives up on a play,” Bledsoe said. “His energy is big.”

“He’s starting to string good games together,” Van Gundy said.

Said Hornets coach James Borrego: “You got to give Hayes a ton of credit, that’s a shot blocker for you.

He turned that entire fourth quarter – his presence, his blocked shots and he affected a lot of our stuff in the paint in the fourth quarter.”

For the next matchup

The Pelicans visit the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday night on the second night of a back-to-back.

While the Hornets host the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday night.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bikram Jirel
Bikram Jirel

Bikram Jirel

Bikram Jirel is a versatile editor and writer with a deep-seated passion for sports and storytelling. With a keen understanding of audience preferences and trends, he crafts compelling narratives that captivate readers and offer unique perspectives on the world of sports.

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