Fans furious over coach Lee's risky LaMelo Ball move following Hornets’ defeat against Nets

TOI Sports Desk / TIMESOFINDIA.COM / Nov 20, 2024, 16:22 IST

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The Brooklyn Nets narrowly defeated the Charlotte Hornets 116-115, with Cam Johnson leading the Nets with 34 points. Hornets' coach Charles Lee's decision to bench LaMelo Ball sparked controversy among fans, despite Tre Mann's impressive performance in Ball's absence.

Fans furious over coach Lee's risky LaMelo Ball move following Hornets’ defeat against Nets

Image via: NBA.com

The NBA Cup fever is on the air and all the teams have been trying to throw the ball in the basket as much as possible. Amid the ongoing race, the Charlotte Hornets have added another devastating defeat to their card after facing the Brooklyn Nets at 116-115. Following the defeat, fans online stormed into the discussion critiquing Hornets’ coach Charles Lee.

Brooklyn Nets defeated the Charlotte Hornets

Cam Johnson scored 34 points, and Dennis Schroder added 14 points and 12 assists as the Brooklyn Nets edged the Charlotte Hornets 116-115. Brandon Miller missed a potential game-tying three in the final seconds, and Grant Williams tipped the ball to close out the win. Jalen Wilson had 17 points, and Trendon Watford scored the Nets' last seven points, finishing with 10. Miller led Charlotte with 29 points, but the Hornets dropped their fourth game in five outings.
LaMelo Ball, Miles Bridges, and Brandon Miller each poured in eight points for a strong start and helped Charlotte build a commanding 37-20 lead by the end of the first quarter. The Hornets were dominating as they shot 13 of 19 from the field and 8 of 12 from beyond the arc.

But to the surprise of many, Hornets’ head coach Charles Lee made a bold move as he benched Ball and brought Tre Mann. Of course, Mann was not disappointing as he finished the game with 19 points in 26 minutes.
But sidelining Ball did not go well among fans and they rushed online to critique the decision of the Hornets’ coach. “We demand answers,” one fan wrote on X. Another wrote, “THIS COACH IS UNDER INVESTIGATION.”

One user questioned the decision of the coach, “Was he playing that bad?”

Another joked, “Wowwww!!! Coach getting fired.”

However, not all fans are against the decision, some have praised the opportunity for Mann as he showed his excellent performance in the limited time he had. Regardless, the Hornets faced the defeat.
Also Read: LaMelo Ball breaks silence after $100K fine for using anti-gay slur
As for Ball, he embroiled himself in a huge controversy as he gave an anti-gay remark recently. He was punished by the NBA with a whopping $100,000. Later, he apologized for his remark.

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TOI Sports Desk

The TOI Sports Desk excels in a myriad of roles that capture the essence of live sporting events and deliver compelling content to readers worldwide. From running live blogs for India and non-India cricket matches to global spectacles featuring Indian talents, like the Chess World Cup final featuring Praggnanandhaa and the Badminton World Championships semifinal featuring HS Prannoy, our live coverage extends to all mega sporting events. We extensively cover events like the Olympics, Asian Games, Cricket World Cups, FIFA World Cups, and more. The desk is also adept at writing comprehensive match reports and insightful post-match commentary, complemented by stats-based articles that provide an in-depth analysis of player performances and team dynamics. We track news wires for key stories, conduct exclusive player interviews in both text and video formats, and file content from print editions and reporters. We keep track of all viral stories, trending topics and produce our own copies on the subjects. We deliver accurate, engaging, and up-to-the-minute sports content, round the clock.

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