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Andrew LopezESPN
NEW ORLEANS – Friday was little brother’s night at the Smoothie King Center – and almost a historic one.
Charlotte Hornets goalie LaMelo Ball became almost the youngest player in NBA history to record a triple-double, scoring 12 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists in a 118-110 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans. and older brother Lonzo Ball.
LaMelo, at the age of 19, 139 days, would have passed Markelle Fultz (19 years, 317 days) to become the youngest to achieve the feat.
The victory for the youngest Ball against his older brother was even sweeter, as he helped the Hornets bounce back from an 18-point deficit to do so. Her 3:44 assist to Gordon Hayward helped Charlotte give her a four-point cushion.
The performance is reminiscent of Lonzo’s second career game for the Los Angeles Lakers, when he also became almost the youngest player to score a triple-double (29 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists). On Friday, Lonzo finished with just five points, three assists, two rebounds, a block and a steal.
LaMelo said it was “cool” to be able to share the word with his brother, but that he was also happy that the team managed to win. He mentioned that he was not afraid at the moment on national television either.
“Not at all. I participated in this a minute ago,” LaMelo said after the victory. “I’ve had ESPN games since I was a kid. So everything was normal.”
Charlotte coach James Borrego said LaMelo played “free and easy” throughout the game.
“That’s what we expect from him,” Borrego said post-game. “It’s like he’s done this before, he’s been there before. He wasn’t passionate about the moment. I’m just proud of him. He’s a fantastic player. He energizes our group. He brings us a lot of confidence, a bragging that we need a lot of times. “I thought it was fantastic tonight.”
As Lonzo said on Thursday, it was the first “real” game the two have ever played against each other – apart from 2-on-2 or 3-on-3 games in their backyard as children.
Since LaMelo leaves the bench for Hornets, their first field action together on Friday didn’t come until they checked in at 6:38 in the first quarter. The two guarded only for a handful of goods, but the little brother managed to get the best out of Lonzo a few times as he spun around Lonzo for a stretch in the middle of the second trimester and he finished the third with a deep 3- pointer with his brother on it.
“It was just a side step and I shot 3,” LaMelo said.
Before the game, Borrego was asked to compare the two, who were the first brothers to be selected in the top 3 of the NBA draft.
“I think there are leaders there,” Borrego said. “They have great vision. You can say that I know the game at a high level. I think this is the common thread, it’s that they both understand the game at a high level, and their colleagues like to play with them. I think that’s the biggest thing. “
LaMelo also became the second youngest Hornet to record a double-double, with only Michael Kidd-Gilchrist doing so at a younger age.
Whatever the outcome, the game on Friday night was a lifelong dream for the brothers.
“When we were younger, we always talked about it,” LaMelo said Thursday. “We always knew we were going to the league. Now the time has finally come. We are both excited.”