CHARLOTTE, N.C. — LaMelo Ball scored 32 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, leading the Charlotte Hornets to a 115-104 upset victory over the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday night, snapping a 10-game losing streak.
Ball, who was scoreless in the first quarter, exploded for 29 points in the second half, igniting the Hornets’ offense and propelling them to a much-needed win. Charlotte (8-27) dominated the boards, outrebounding Phoenix 59-42.
“It feels good to get a win, especially against a team like that,” Ball said. “We just came out and played hard, played together.”
The Suns (16-19), playing the second night of a back-to-back, struggled to find consistent scoring outside of Devin Booker, who poured in 39 points and dished out 10 assists. Kevin Durant added 26 points, but Bradley Beal was limited to just 10 points on 5-of-13 shooting.
“We just didn’t have it tonight,” Suns coach Frank Vogel said. “Give credit to Charlotte, they played with a lot of energy and deserved the win.”
The Hornets outscored the Suns 37-17 in the second quarter, taking a 59-46 lead into halftime. While Phoenix attempted to rally in the second half, pulling within five points by the start of the fourth, Charlotte maintained its composure. A late 3-pointer by Brandon Miller sealed the victory for the Hornets.
The victory marked only the third time this season that the Hornets had all five starters on the floor together.
“Having everyone healthy definitely makes a difference,” Hornets coach Steve Clifford said. “We were able to play with a better flow and rhythm tonight.”
The Suns were without starting center Jusuf Nurkic, who was sidelined with a right ankle sprain.
The Hornets will look to build on this momentum when they host the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday. The Suns will aim to bounce back in their next game.
