The Charlotte Hornets turned Tuesday night against the Miami Heat into a personal playground for LaMelo Ball. While Charlotte walked away with an impressive 136-106 win, the post-game conversation wasn't about the lopsided score, it was about how on earth Ball keeps making the impossible seem routine.
Midway through the fourth quarter, Ball went through the middle of the defense, took a heavy hit from a defender and somehow put the ball in the hoop while falling. It was the kind of circus shot that would normally be dubbed a 'fluke', but for the Hornets' superstar, it was just another calculated rep.
When asked about the secret behind his highlight-reel finishing, Ball kept it refreshingly simple. He credited his coach and the unconventional reps he did behind the scenes.
"I mean, me and my guy March have been working on it, so I think I've been working on all my shots," Ball said after the win. When a reporter pressed him on whether he specifically practiced falling shots because of how "pretty" they look, he didn't even blink. "Yeah, to be honest, I work on all my shots."
"I work on all my shots."
LaMelo practices every possible look... even shots where he's falling through contact! https://t.co/vu0P5BSQlJ pic.twitter.com/kxT2ut3SpT
- NBA (@NBA) 18 March 2026
That preparation was on full display as the Hornets were missing star center Bam Adebayo from the Heat squad. Ball finished the night with a spectacular triple-double, scoring 30 points and 13 assists with six rebounds. He remained efficient throughout the field, making 11 of 22 shots from the field and missing four of his 12 attempts from beyond the arc.
Without Adebayo to bolster the interior, Charlotte celebrated a turnaround, powered entirely by Ball's elite vision and pace. The Hornets effectively closed out the contest with a huge surge in the second half, leaving Miami with no answers. For a team looking to finish 2026 strong, Ball's magic is looking like a science.
