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Charlotte Hornets star point guard LaMelo Ball showcased his elite playmaking during the first quarter of Monday night’s matchup against the Boston Celtics.
After corralling a loose ball near midcourt, Ball quickly swung the ball around his back to big man Mark Williams. Williams then converted on an easy layup to extend the Hornets’ early lead.
Check out Ball’s behind-the-back assist below:
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LaMelo Ball and Hornets snap Celtics’ 6-game winning streak
LaMelo Ball led Charlotte to a surprise 121-118 overtime win over Boston on Monday. The Hornets trailed by as many as 18 points before mounting a comeback and securing the upset victory over the NBA’s top-ranked team.
Ball finished with a team-high 36 points, nine rebounds, eight assists, two steals, one block and five 3-pointers on 55.6% shooting.
However, Hornets forward Miles Bridges hit the biggest shot of the game. With the game tied 116-116 with 6.6 seconds remaining in OT, Bridges nailed a 25-foot go-ahead 3-pointer off an assist from Ball. The shot proved to be the dagger, as Charlotte never relinquished the lead.
Following the game, Bridges spoke about how the Hornets’ physicality gave them an advantage:
“We’re just playing physical. We played physical from the jump,” Bridges said.
“We know they’re the best team in the league right now, so we wanted to set the tone, or it was gonna be over for us.”
The Hornets overcame a season-best performance from Celtics superstar forward Jayson Tatum. Tatum finished with a game-high 45 points, 13 rebounds, six assists, two blocks and seven-3-pointers on 53.6% shooting.
However, he missed the game-tying free throw after being fouled on a 3-point attempt with 5.2 seconds remaining in OT.
With their win, the Hornets ended their four-game losing streak and snapped the Celtics’ six-game winning streak.
Charlotte (4-9) next plays against the Washington Wizards (2-11) at home on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Boston (11-3) next plays against the Milwaukee Bucks (10-4) at home on Wednesday.
