NBA: LaMelo Ball orchestrates Hornets' second-half blowout of Heat

LaMelo Ball scored 30 points and handed out 13 assists as the Charlotte Hornets opened a seven-game homestand with a 136-106 win over the Miami Heat on Tuesday night.

Coby White added 24 points and Kon Kneuppel contributed 22 to help Charlotte (35-34), which was coming off a 2-2 road trip. Brandon Miller finished with 16 points, while Miles Bridges chipped in 14.

The Hornets pulled away thanks to a dominant second half, outscoring Miami 77-56 overall. In the fourth quarter, Charlotte opened with a 25-6 run over the first six and a half minutes and eventually outscored the Heat 40-18 in the period.

Tyler Herro led Miami with 20 points. Norman Powell added 17, Keshad Johnson scored 15, Pelle Larsson had 14, and Simone Fontecchio finished with 10 points. Miami (38-31) has dropped two straight games following a seven-game winning streak.

Bam Adebayo, who scored 83 points against the Washington Wizards just a week ago, missed the game due to a calf injury.

This was the second meeting between the Heat and Hornets in 12 days, with Charlotte avenging a 128-120 loss earlier in the month.

Ball also grabbed six rebounds while reaching 30 points for the second time in three games. Both Ball and Miller made four 3-pointers each, while White, coming off the bench, connected on three shots from beyond the arc. Charlotte finished 17-of-42 from three-point range, compared to Miami’s 7-of-36.

The Hornets held a 48-43 rebounding edge, boosted by Moussa Diabate’s 13 boards and Bridges’ 10 rebounds.

Charlotte led 59-57 at halftime. The Hornets extended the lead to double digits late in the third quarter, but Johnson scored early in the fourth to make it 96-90. Less than three minutes into the final period, Charlotte pulled away again with a 105-90 advantage, fueled by Ball’s five points and two assists during a 9-0 run.

—Field Level Media/Reuters