Charlotte Hornet’s Lamelo Ball # 2 against the Chicago Bulls’ Kobe White # 0 on April 08, 2022 at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. Jonathan Daniel / Getty Images / AFP
LaMelo Ball scored all his 24 points in the first half and reached four reserve double figures as visiting Charlotte Hornet posted a 133-117 win against struggling Chicago Bulls on Friday night.
The Hornets led by more than 30 points in the first half in the second to last game of the regular season for both teams. There will be two squads in the post season.
The Bulls (45-36) have lost four games in a row.
Miles Bridges finished with 20 points and Terry Rosier got 15. However, the bench production of Kelly O’Brien Jr. (18 points), Montreal Harrell (14), Jalen McDaniels (13) and Cody Martin (11) made a big difference. Hornets (42-39), who fired 60.5 percent.
🚨 New Milestone Warning
With these three, ELKELLYOUBREJR Dale Curry passes off the most 3PM bench in the history of the franchise! Congratulations Kelly! 3 #Alfly | @HornetsOnBally pic.twitter.com/Wjr3VuaXBr
– Charlotte Hornets (Hornets) April 9, 2022
Jack Lavin led the Bulls with 23 points, Kobe White with 19 points, Dimmer DeRozan with 17 points, Patrick Williams with 15 points and Ayo Dosunmu with 14 points.
After Charlotte went 128-101, the Bulls scored the next 12 points but had less than two minutes left.
Ball, who made five 3-point baskets, added nine assists.
Charlotte fired a 40-for-19 shot at a 3-pointer to deal with a -24 long-range shooting for the Chicago 13-pointer. The Hornet Free Throw ended in a 10 for 10.
He did not come from hereMelod 1p | #Alfly pic.twitter.com/jDqq2mi0Nz
– Charlotte Hornets (Hornets) April 9, 2022
In the final minutes of the first half, Charlotte took a 79-51 lead at the break before holding on to a 31-point lead. Hornets shot 66.7 percent (30 for 45) off the field in the first half, making 11 of their 21 attempts from the 3-point range.
This was Charlotte’s second sterling offensive performance in many nights after drilling in Orlando.
The Bulls were in a huge hole despite making 50 percent of their first-half shots from the field.
The Hornets made a 39-31 lead at the end of the first quarter and then beat Chicago 11-2 in the first 100 seconds of the second quarter – stretched capped by a back-to-back 3-pointer from the ball.
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