Charlotte (USA), May 1 (EFE) .- Rookie point guard LaMelo Ball came back from a 21-game absence and did so to score 11 points, leading the Charlotte Hornets to a comfortable 107-94 victory over the Detroit Pistons.
The top candidate for Rookie of the Year, Ball underwent surgery to repair his fractured right wrist on March 20.
Ball played 28 minutes and added eight rebounds and seven assists, including a nifty pass from his own backcourt to forward Miles Bridges.
Guard Terry Rozier led Charlotte with 29 points, including a 3-pointer to beat the shot clock and help prevent Detroit’s streak late in the fourth quarter.
Bridges added 27 points on 11 of 16 shooting from the field and power forward PJ. Washington had another 16 points.
Guard-forward Malik Monk, who returned after a 15-game absence (ankle), joined Ball with 11 points.
Charlotte put up 15 blocks, a season-high for any team and the fifth time the Hornets have had 15 or more blocks in a game in franchise history. They beat the Pistons for the twelfth time in a row.
Guard Frank Jackson scored 25 points as the leader of Detroit, which has lost five of six.
Rookie forward Saddiq Bey added 22 points, fellow number three Tyler Cook reached 12 and point guard Killian Hayes scored another 10 for the Pistons, who cut the lead to the single digits twice in the second half, but failed. they could get closer.
Bridges left in the third period after appearing to injure his right shoulder while blocking a shot for a field goal. He had his shoulder on ice until the end of the period and came back.
The Hornets, who entered the game eighth in the Eastern Conference, snapped a two-game losing streak and will play the Pistons again on Tuesday, but in Detroit.
(c) EFE Agency