Charlotte Hornets Achieve Upset Victory Over Los Angeles Lakers As Luka Doncic Struggles

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The Charlotte Hornets pulled off a surprising 100-97 win against the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday night. Miles Bridges led with 29 points, while LaMelo Ball contributed 27. Despite LeBron James scoring 16 of his 26 points in the final quarter, he missed two crucial three-point attempts just before the game ended.

In his third game for the Lakers, Luka Dončić managed 14 points, 11 rebounds, and eight assists. However, he struggled with his shooting, going 5 of 18 from the field and only making one out of nine three-point attempts. This match was rescheduled from January due to severe wildfires in Southern California.

Nick Smith Jr. played a pivotal role by hitting a go-ahead three-pointer with just 48 seconds remaining. Rui Hachimura then missed two free throws, allowing Ball to drive for a finger-roll layup with 14.2 seconds left. James responded with a three-pointer at 6.8 seconds, but Ball's two successful free throws secured Charlotte's second victory in eleven games.

Mark Williams made an impact in his first game since the Lakers acquired him and then reversed the trade decision. He scored ten points and grabbed nine rebounds. The Hornets were trailing by twelve points late in the third quarter but went on a remarkable 22-1 run as Los Angeles missed ten consecutive shots over six minutes and thirty-nine seconds.

Dončić briefly put the Lakers ahead with a putback basket with just over a minute left to play. However, Smith answered calmly with an open three-pointer—his fourth of the night—despite starting cold earlier in the game.

This victory came after back-to-back losses for the Lakers against Utah and Charlotte, both considered among the weaker teams in the NBA this season. The Hornets' unexpected triumph highlighted their resilience and ability to capitalize on key moments during the game.