After missing a combined 36 games and almost ten weeks of action, the Charlotte Hornets’ backcourt got a major boost on Saturday night with the long-awaited returns of both LaMelo Ball and Malik Monk.
The rookie Ball finished the 107-94 home win over Detroit with 11 points on 4-of-10 shooting, seven rebounds, a game-high eight assists and two blocks in 28 starting minutes, while Monk added 11 points on 4-of-8 shooting and two assists across 22 minutes off the bench. For a Hornets squad that has struggled to generate offense over the past month, the energy and overall liveliness these two possess on both ends was extremely noticeable from the get-go.