LaMelo Ball heats up after cold start vs. Atlanta, sparks Hornets: ‘Sky is the limit’

Just under two hours remain before the opening tip of the season and a souped-up luxury vehicle that looks like a cross between a SUV and a pickup truck pulls into Spectrum Center’s private parking lot.

The face of the Charlotte Hornets had arrived, officially in the building to play in a game that counted for the first time since February. His energy radiated from that wiry, 6-foot-7, 190-pound frame as usual, lighting up the atmosphere with each step while cameras recorded his every move.

LaMelo Ball was once again in his element, fresh off a rare injury-free preseason and back to engineering the Hornets’ attack. He shook off some early rust and a rough shooting first half, rediscovering his stroke and efficiently running things to help propel Charlotte to a 116-110 victory over Atlanta on Wednesday night.

Ball misfired on his first eight shots, even uncorking an airball from 3-point range and initially looking nothing like the guy who had a relatively smooth three weeks leading into the opener against the Hawks.

“In preseason, you are really flowing through the motions,” Ball said. “You ain’t really (going too hard). So (Wednesday night) it was the real deal. So, two halves. Came back in the second, started making some.”

In the battle of All-Star point guards with Hawks’ sparkplug Trae Young, Ball got the upperhand — even though Young netted more points. Bouncing back from a cold start, Ball recorded a double-double, posting 15 points and 10 assists to go with six rebounds and fared well defensively.

“He fought hard,” coach Steve Clifford said. “Listen, he did everything all summer that he could do. He only got cleared to play like a month ago fright before camp started. So he’s behind, where he would be.

“You could see the way we are subbing — six minutes here, five minutes here, which makes it harder for him to get into a rhythm. But he never complains, he wants to be out there. He puts so much pressure on the defense. He’s just not in rhythm yet and it’s nobody’s fault. So, he’ll get there.”

It’s surely no surprise the Hornets (1-0) kicked the offense up a notch once Ball found his stroke in the third quarter. He’s Charlotte’s engine and it finally got revved up in the second half against the Hawks (0-1) after he drained a 3-pointer with 9:57 remaining in the quarter for his first bucket.

Sinking a trio of third-quarter 3-pointers opened things up offensively for Ball, giving him more room to operate and get into the paint to generate even more for his teammates. And that’s exactly what happened when he connected with rookie Brandon Miller on a nifty alley-oop, bringing a good number of the 16,129 patrons to their feet.

“It’s a great moment,” Miller said. “A great play and great pass by LaMelo. His IQ, I think that plays a big part in the Hornets’ team that we have this year. I think it could go a long way over 82 games for sure.”

So, too, could Ball’s 3-point streak. He’s made a 3-pointer in 52 straight games, representing the longest span in franchise history. That impressive stretch also breaks the longest streak in NBA history by a player younger than 22, surpassing Atlanta’s Saddiq Bey’s mark of 51.

Ball’s streak is currently the third-longest in the NBA, trailing only Golden State star and Davidson grad Steph Curry (246) and Milwaukee’s Damian Lillard (78). Ball is already the youngest player in NBA history to hit a 3-pointer in 50 straight games.

“He’s just an elite talent and a young player that at the times that we’ve played against him, he’s just a lot to handle,” Hawks coach Quin Synder said. “The combination of his size and he’s got a unique feel for the game and the open court, his speed, you kind of go on. He’s really good. Guys that have that ability, as they get older, they get better. I’m glad he’s healthy.”

Those ankles held up just fine and Ball found himself on the floor in crunch time late when the Hawks were attempting one final charge, which is a scenario that might not have been the case in year’s past. But Clifford trusted Ball to dig in on Young or whoever he was guarding in the waning seconds, electing to keep Ball in on the action.

Ball rewarded him for it.

“His defense was really solid,” Clifford said. “I never thought … because obviously you could play Brandon there defensively — Brandon is a very good defender — at the end of the game. Melo’s defense and so that’s why we finished with him on the floor in the defensive situations, too.”

Call it part of Ball’s growth entering his fourth season.

“Offense wasn’t really falling, so the least I could do is try to play some defense and stuff like that,” Ball said. “So pretty much, I was trying to lock in on the defensive end.”

Which didn’t go unnoticed at all.

“We’ve been talking about that on the bench,” Terry Rozier said. “It’s just his leadership and growth, and that’s what we need. He stepped up to the plate, and I think that’s going to be him all year. Our togetherness on defense will create better offense for us, and he’s a big key to that.”

If this one outing was any indicator, Ball and the Hornets could be poised to finally snap the NBA”s longest playoff drought. Unselfishness, togetherness and cohesiveness are going to play massive roles in how good the Hornets turn out to be.

“Sky is the limit,” Ball said. “If we are all hooping and everybody is doing what we do, it will all look beautiful.”