The Hornets beat the Pelicans on Monday to win their seventh game in a row. Charlotte’s win was all the more impressive when you consider the adversity they faced in the game. First, they lost their starting point guard when LaMelo Ball collided with Hornets coach Charles Lee while they were both going for a loose ball. Then, New Orleans took a 22-point lead in the second quarter.
Ball ended up returning to the game, but it was a scary moment as he and Lee smashed their faces into each other with the player getting the worst of it. Both Ball and Lee grabbed their faces immediately, but Ball remained on the ground and had to walk to the locker room with a towel pressed against his eye.
Ball was not gone long, however, and returned to the lineup before the first quarer was over. He had a cut near his eye but still finished the game with 24 points, eight rebounds and five assists. He also turned in the dunk of the night as he scored the go-ahead basket to complete the Hornets comeback.
OH YEAH MELO🗣️@MELOD1P x #HiveMentality | 📹 @FDSN_Hornets pic.twitter.com/ucgUloZm7H
— Charlotte Hornets (@hornets) February 2, 2026
That's probably why they were all able to joke about it after the game, when Lee entered the locker room in a hard hat and chasing Ball out of the room. When Ball returned to the room, Lee embraced him and said, "low man wins," with a laugh.
VIBES ARE HIGH#HiveMentality | @Waste_Pro_USA pic.twitter.com/vwWYVnAft4
— Charlotte Hornets (@hornets) February 3, 2026
The Hornets have already won more games than they collected in either of the last two seasons and are playing so well they have a chance to get their second winning season in the last 10 years. So there's more than one reason to keep your head up in Charlotte right now.
More NFL on Sports Illustrated
- How Joe Namath Transformed the Super Bowl
- Sam Darnold Showers Praise on His Offensive Coordinator Ahead of Potential Final Game
- Super Bowl Fantasy Football Rankings for Every Position in PPR Leagues
- Ranking the 10 Best Super Bowl Halftime Shows of All Time
- Robert Kraft, Just Like Bill Belichick, Didn’t Make the Hall of Fame This Year Either
This article was originally published on www.si.com as LaMelo Ball Left Game With Bloody Face After Colliding Head-First With His Own Coach.
