It must be terrifying for other NBA teams Charlotte Hornets guard point lamillo ball He got this good, that fast. When drafted with the third overall pick in 2020, his slight setting and unorthodox style of play were supposed to create a learning curve that would pay off in the end without necessarily producing immediate results.

You can throw it all out the window. Lamelo is a star. end of discussion.

Ball announced his presence with authority on Wednesday night, as he shone with the league’s best player, Giannis AntikonmoIn a duel neither of them will soon forget. On the ground floor of the defending champion, Paul scored 36 career points, including eight three-pointers (also his career high), while collecting nine assists, five rebounds, and three steals for the game. He’s also dropped a cold-blooded disputed triple pointer to hook things up with less than six seconds remaining.

This play shows not only an improvement in his three-point shot (up 39 percent from 35 percent last season) and his willingness to take the big shots – but it also shows his intelligence. Lagging by three with less than 10 seconds to the left, he flagged the ball that dollars It will look wrong if slowed too long with the ball. So he took the shooting motion almost immediately, before Pat Connaughton He could even think of his soiling, burying the clutch, disputed 3-pointer.

Unfortunately for the Hornets, the Bucks still had time left on the clock for Mr. Antetokounmpo to work his magic. The Finals MVP sprinted across the lane, bobbed his body, and did a tough backhand two seconds left to give the Bucks a 127-125 victory.

Antetokounmpo with 40 points, 12 rebounds and 9 assists, finished off the ball, but showed absolute respect for the sophomore by seeking him after the game for a shirt swap.

Young players consider setting numbers for a bad team one thing, but Paul proved that his production translates into a win. According to NBA.com, the Hornets’ net rating is 8.3 points better per 100 ownership with ball in the field, and Charlotte is currently in play position after reaching post-season during their rookie ball year. Games like Wednesday Night prove that Ball is ready to debate as a franchise player right now, despite only being 20 years old at the start of his career.